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POOR PET]^R's

i^ i\ X-j L-i

TO ^IS

CHILDREN,

>.ND TO ALL OTHERS WHO CAN HEAR
AND BELIEVE.

BY PETER CLEM MO. VS, Senr.

SulLISEURy, (n. c.)

PRINTED BY COUPEE AND CRIDER,

1812.

©eo5C»8S802«r>seo!?ess«ees«SGC5SCCC«co
PREFACE.

Dear Children,

IT has been thirty years^ a7id I believe up'
vjards^ since my nuidwas first moved with a
desire to wVite someUiing for your instruction
in th- way of rigJtteousnesSy which you all
might peruse and meditate on^ when my body
lies speechless in the silent grave ; ,that by read-
ing what I have wrote^ you might remember
the griefs and sorrows I have had. on your acz
county lest any of you should be inticedwith the
pleasing fruits of Egypt^ to stay in that cor-
ruptable land^ until God's merciful visitation
was over. But before I begun I met with se-
veral discouragements^ fjarticidarly when I
thought oj my weakness in learning ; for I am
a poor scholar^ yet when I write Ihnoxo
what I mean , but for thezvant of the true hiow-
ledge oj speling and grammar^ there might be
avothc meaning put en my writing from what
I intended it^ and for this reason I was often
discouraged \ also^ when I tho't oj the precious
instruction oj the New-Testament, what more
cou'd be done that had nut already been done.
Thus the discourager tried to put me ojf^ but
the encouraging Lord, the lover oj righteous-
?ics^\ put me ii mind of the widow and her two
mites, and the thoughts of that ojffering being
greater than aiU it encouraged me to write the
following to my children and to ill who will
r've the,rtsehcs time to peruse it^

Poor Peters call to his Children, ^c.

Or

CHAPTER I.

Our spiritual travel to a Chris thin life.

ruY clear children ! the day light has appeared,
and the Sun is rising, awake my dear children, ior the
Lord is 'calling,^ that yon «iay rise and go to the ^vork ot
the Lord ; which work you cannot do without 0112 to in-
struct you ; hut the Father of all mercies has provided
one in the midst of his love, to instruct you ai)d all others
ill the work of the Lord ; which work is for your ov> /-
goofl, and when done will he for the glory of God.

Now dear children, the things that are visible is ns •
finger pointing to the things that are invisible, ai..
man cannot see and discern cle&rly his own features
out the help of som-e instrument or glass, yet by the .. .,.
of such instrument, a man can understand his own ake-
nrss ; so then as it is, by the help of eartlily means v.e un-
^lerstand earthly things, and it has pleased God to make
use of earthly means to give us an idea of spiritual things,
for as the children of Israel beibre Jacob and his family
v.'t^nt'into Egypt, was an eip.blem of our first station of
life before we eat the forbidden fruit, so was his^statioii
while the children of Israel were in bondage to Pharaoh
king of Egypt, a type or f.gure, of our secorMi stalion c':
life, which is a state of sin and bondage to serve diver^i
lusts, being under the power of the king of darkjies^, -a.?
Israel was under the power of the king of Egypt. And
as Israel's third station was in travelling from Egv]
the promised land, it was a figu.-t* of our third station ui
life, if we ever come to be christians. And as Ir^rael'."
fourth station of life was attained to, it was a figi;
fourth station of life, which is, a christian life, and oiighr
to be desired and sought for, more than for ail the gbld
and silver or any other thing in this world (xf time ;' for
aitho' we cannot live comfortablv in this ivorld w'

( 4 )

the t^ of gold or silvei or some other things of God's
blesse-i providence, yet these riches are not comparable
to the riches oFaxhristian life, given to all that enter into
the fourth station of life, where God manifests himself
to them as Christ promised to those that loved him an^
kept his commundmenis ; for Israel's fourth station of life
was that, of entering and getting possession of the promis-
ed land, after a tedious travel of forty years through a
dangerous wilderness, where m^ny thousands ©f th5se
v/ho left Israel's second station of life and entered into
the third, which led them out or the land of Egypt intJ
the right way to the promised land, but many oLt^m did
not hold out in true obedience to their guide, but turned
to disobedience, and for this cciuse Israel wiisleftto wan-
der in the wilderness, until many of the disobedient pe^
rished, ^Vitb_out ever enjoyivig or,entering into the promised
land, which fiowed with milk and honey ;. where God
multiplied his blessings to all that entered therein. Now
the thought of the enjo^vi-neivt of tlue blessing of God's,
kind providence, in milk and honey being so plenty as to
flow with it, and the thoughts of being a he^ people, were
tli^ two principal reasons that led Israel to undertake so
g-reat a journey, which might have been accomplished in
a small part of the time, had- they only contiaiied' in obedi--
eace to the end as they were in the beginning, for they be-
gun well, and would have ended in the enjoyment of the
precious fruits^, of that land, wlvich God promised and:
iaithfuUv' performed to all that held out in trueoli^diente
tc the end. Now mv dear children I pray you all to take
these four stations of the children of Israel'^ lif*; and tra-
vel into your serious consideration, and let them be as
I:, looking glass for you to look in, for if you are careful!
v.! looking und comparing your spirituallife with the four
ernal stations of the beginning ami end of the children
ol Israel's life, you m.iy bv th^ light of the spirit of Christ,
^called tlie Q:r;ice of God,' which hath, and does, and v, ill
appear to. all men ; I say^ by the help of this light, you
ail may see the exact features of your own faces, in look-
inyj into the first, second, third and foiTrth stations of Is-
rael life ; by begianing with your lirst station, and com-
paring it with L^rael's first station of life, which I know
you. ail spiritually are J or have bee^ iu^,'and compare it

( 5 )

i^ith Israel's secona station of lite before he left^^-pt.
Believing that the God of heiwen has visitedsomeoi yoa
bv sending his spiritual Meses lo visit you in the secret of
your hearts, O that it may please him to continue his
lyerciful visitation, until you ail take your spiritual jour-
ney and go out of Egypt, fpr if any of you rcmaineth in
spiritual Egypt until your mortal body dies, you pever
^'ill, nor never can sensibly enjoy the blessing of God,
which he of his own love and mercy has prepared for all
^"lyho leave the second station and pass through the third
into the fourth station of life, wb.ich is a true Christian
life ; ^ttf^^ "^'^^ ^^^ S^^ here before he passeth the third
station^^life, and ^11 who die before ithey enter into the
fourth station of life, will fall short of the enjoyment of
God's blessing in this life, and that \*hich is lo come.

My dear children, let np man deceive any of you, to
make you stopt short of entering the fourth station of life,
which is in the spiritual promised land, and which all peo-
ple m.ust attain to this side of the grave, or fall short of e-
ternal. rest in futurity. Having alreat'y mentioned the
principal causes of Israel's leaving Egypt to go to the
promTfeed land, I will mention the particulars : had it not
been for the hope of enjoying their freedom and being
partakers of the blessed rich Iruits which grew there, they
would all have groaned and mourned, and died in the
land of £g\pt, and never have enjoyed their freedom, nor
been partakers of the rich fruits of the promised land ;
neither woiild they have seen the glory of the Lord, for
it did not appear to them in Egypt, neither did they knoMT
it whilst in bondage ; and as they were two principal in-
ducements to ihem, so my dear children there is in the
same like manner two principal things that move all peo-
ple that are advanced into the second station of life, that
is (living in spiritual Egypt,) to leave it and enter into the
tl\ird station of life, as Israel did, for all who Jive in spi-
ritual Egypt must pass the third stiition before they can
enter tlie fourtn station of life, to the enjoyment of that
heavenly land which flows with more precious things than
the land of Canaan, for in this fourth station the}' can set
down every man, woman and child, under their vine and
fig tree, and there is none that can make tliem alVaid^

A 2

( a )

for fhey set down in heavenlr p'aees, in C!inst^
who^d fruits are to tiiem sweeter than aii the milk and ho«^
nty that evet* flowed in the land of Canaan ;" foY'iri this,
their fourth station of Ute^ it does not flow asvvith milk of
coWvS which will turn sour, and by long standing stii.k",
and with honey, made by flying bees ; but it flo5vs with'
the sincere miik of the word of God, and the s-weet hone^r
of his love, which flows from his dear presence when it
pleaseth him to visit lis, which makes his |||omise good,,
for here v/e keep his commandments,, and- for ihis he
loves us and iitakes himself manifest to us, as CJ^st did
promise in the lithchapt. of St» John, 21,22 & 2.3H|p;rses,
whi^h is most certainly true, for all who cannot bear wit-
ness to these truths have never yet entered the fourth
station that I speak of, and are strangers to the kingdom
ol God. And O ! me dear c^^iidren, it is, and has been
xny earnest desire ?.^^d prayer to God tlvat it wpuld please
him to visit you all, and continue his merciful visitation
until yoQ '^re made sensible of the great necessity there is
ftjr ie:rving your second station of life, and quickly enter
into the third, tliat is, to lea\ e Egy])t and travel in the-
Way to the promised land. O ! that it may please the-
LordGod of heaven to send his holy angtlto be your guide
into the promised land, for no man can find" the way to it
withd'^t. hi? gjLiide ; and O ! tlrat you- may all submit to
pat y<iarselve^ ande.r his holy instruction, until you all
arrive safe byhis v^uidance intoj:iie fourth station, that of
t:ie proinised l..:.d ; thenurid there you will be made able
to bear witnes3 to the truths- that 1 now write to you and
to all others that travel* v/ it h me, now, before, or after me
into" the pronii^ed' land, where we are at! redeemed and
made free frx:> li th at tyranical yoke of sin, that keeps men-
and women in such hurd bondage whilst in the second sta»
tion of life, under the power of sin< and S-atan, v/ho is the
ruk^r of spiritual Egypt, Kei^e divers lusts and grievo'us
sinful passions, which is the cause of all the mournings,
groanings 4t sighings of all who ar^ iiro't to be sensilDie of
their miserable state^andbcndage, \5rhrlst they hear of the
glo ions and true report of -he liberty and freedom o£
th.se who ha\ e got into the" promised land, where they are
bL"i>u;.ht to be partakers wiili tne hoivsehold of farth, and:
jomcd into the family of heaven :. there, the/ are ftitfi.

( 7 )

from the desire- of sin, andtacir onh' desire ia^ to liiVc^
obey, praise, henoj*iind adore tat: king ot heuvtrn, \vhu is-
Lord aiid Kinjj over uil tne promised iand, ror here his^
irone is established in rigjitcpusness, ^l h>^s laws are in
equity and justice, and adminisiered in love over his sab-
j.-cts; f'Qrthis is the kr..gdoiTi that difFeretbJrpm all other
kingdoms g^i earth ; the king himselt is love, he ruleth
^ over his subjects in love, his subjects love their king, they
Jove one anothw.1^ they love, his commandments, his. com-
mandments are no ways grievous tp them, for it is their
" delight ^^bey hfm in all ; and as the king by his divine
-' ihiowle^Pkrioweth that his subjects love hia- bv their
keeping, 111^ commandments, so the king himself loveth
is suiJ^jeGtSy and manifests himself unto them ; and in this
manifestation his subjects are made able to witness the
. truth of that which is in the scripture of truth, that the
glory of the Lord should cover the earth as the waters co-
vereth the seas ; and in^ these blessed and happy mani-
festations, the earth is trul}' covered with the glory of the
Lecd, which earth is our bodies having become the tem-
leof the Lord for the spirit of our God-to dwell rh.^ And
i« this heavenly visitation he lifteth up thelightvof his holy
.countenance on US) which liils our hearts w.ith * the over-
flowing of his love, and in these happy times we are made
onsible of his goodnsss ;. and being sensible of his good-
liess, we then are filiedwith the spirit of true thanksgiving
and praises to our king who lives forever, in the unfeign-
-; "^e^i language of glorifying hinrr, not onl^- for all the mercies
• that we ourselves have received of the Lord:, in stiving
arid redeeming us from the land of sin and the hard bon-
dage of iniquity, where so mi^ny of us laboured, but a-
bove ail things our shameful work in servrag so many
disgraceful lusts whilst we were in the land of Egypt, in
onr second station ; for surely it is of the Lord's love and
mercy that we were- not consumed as Sodom and GorriO«
i'ah were^ forean it be possible ^hat cheii: wickedness \ as
35 great aseurs in thi^ present generation, to !)esr a com-
parison I their sins were of giviVig themselves over :o
fornication: and gaing after strsnge flesh, J ude, 7 ver. for.^
which they wer€ destroyed as by fi::€^.vvnich m-^dt m\ ex--
ample of them. And i» it not of tht^VLord^s rr.ercy ihaS'.
aiiiiiat h^ii^ii. act kf^ the-s^coiid stc^ioa ars not consiuiQ^di,

( » )

O I my dear children, let iis consider 'our sins and ihtt
sins ot all the inhabitants of spiritual Egypt., and we shall
see chat they are very great. And as I said, not only for
his mercies in saving us from all the sins which we com-
mitted whilst ive were in our .second station, but for all
his mercif^s in saving and redeem uig us from the many e-»
^vils and dangers that beset us in our third station, while
travelling from the land of sin and wickedness'' to the land
of righteousness, where the glory of the Lord covers it
as the water covers the sea, and where the Lord's meek
ones inherits the earth ; and in this happy land of the
fourth station, wKvre our king's glory coversJjM we do
not only ^iv« him thanks in the spirit of true thaSsgiving
for all the favours he has bestowed «>n us, but for thoset,
bestow ed on all human beings, from the beginning to this
day in every stage of their lives, auil for ail his mercies
bestowed on his preserved angels and saints in glory ; for
it is by his love and mercy that all what is preserved is
preserved ; and all who attain to tlie fourth *stution do not
only praise him for those nrvercites, but also for his provi-
dential care of all the work of his holy hands, by which
the beasts of the field, the fowls of the air, the fishes of
the sea, and every living thing that hath life and moveth
on all the face of the earth, are made able to praise him,
as one did hear them praise him in his revelation ; and if
these praise the Lord, (and they certainly do) shall we not
praise him ? O yes ! we sh 11 praise him for all the fa-
vours he bestowed an his creatures that live in heaven,
earth and sea, and not only with our lips, as some pro-
fessors do before they leave their second station, wheieia
they make great profession with their mouths, but by
their deeds deny the Lord our God, by not suffering him
to redeem them. But as for us, we know the mercies of
our God, that he has redeemed us from the land of Egypt
and from the house of shameful bondage, we know by his
redeeming love and the gift of his boh spirit, by whose
power we art- rais'jd from the dead works of sin to the liv-
ing works of righieou.'^ness, by the Srwing and redeeming
hand of our God, which huh raised us from the dead,
snd halh calied us out of the kingdom of da-kness, where
v;e had our second habitation, into his glorious king<Jom
of Ughtj peace and love-in the house of our God^ m the

, C 9 )

heavenly places, ' in Christ our Lord; wliere both the
Father and the Son make themselves manifest to us that
are not only hearers of his word, but doers of the sanrie ; for
which we are made able to praise the Lord in the spirit of
true thanksgiving' ; it is easy and delightful, it is the fruits
of the tree of life, which brings forth the fruits of praise,
not only from our lips, but fr an the fountain of God's love,
which he hath made to How in our hearts like the little
streams of living water that flow from the temple of tlie
Lord, and which now stands in the promised land, v,^here
he has been pleased to put his holy name, thatatlhis faith-

.. ial subjelfets in-iy call on it and be saved ; and- they can de-
clare in truth tliat they are saved from all the works
of sin, and from all the desires thereof ; for the tree that
bears the fruit of evil desire is cut down and destroyed
out of this hoiy land. In tie beginning of the establish-
ment of his holy kirigdom-in this holyland he said, " The
ax is la«l to the root of that tree which brings the fruit'of
evil desire,*' and as it was not good, it \9as to be hewed
down and cast into the fire, which destroyed it from his
holy kingdom, and no unclean things can grow there.-—'
And as I said before, the kingdom of our God diiTers^
from all other kingdoms on the face of the earth, he is the
king of the promised land, the great and good tree ot
life which brings forth the good fruits of love and peace
that are offered to all the children of men ; but all other
kiitgdonis are covered over with the corruptable tree,.
bringing forth evil fruits ; their kings are kings of war,
filled v/ith pride and ambition, and by this woeful spirit

„ ofwar and bloodshed, they bring destruction and misery
on-their distressed subjects, without considering the aw-
ful- consequence of theirbeing found with the destroying-
angel, whom God will in the day of h^s judgment cause,
to give an account of their destroying the work of his ho-
ly hands, with the encreased miseries they have brought
on the poor widows and fatherless, by the death of their
husbands and fathers ; for their oppression in compelling
their subjects to submit to all their d'estroving commands,
for if they say ^o face that army armed at all points, and
in the conflict thereof they know that thousands must be
&lain, they dare not refuse: for in obeying ir is sure death to.
many, & in di&obeylng it is rebellion, which. brings death*

( 10 )

My dear fellow creatures, li you would only open your
eyes and behold the great difference between the king of
the promised land and the kings of Kgypt, and all other
such like kings, you will find in their kingdon)s all man-
nerof evils, such as murder, adultery, whoredom, thefts
and covetousness of many kinds, with every bad words
and deeds that can be committed under the Sun, which
deprives all of peace & love v/ith both God and men, I
pray all of you who may see or hear this, to call on the
Lord my God and pray unto him to be pleased to send his
deliverhng acgel to save & redeem you from your misera-
ble yoke of^iii and transgression, and to bring you safe
through the third station of life into the fourth, vvhere you
maybe the happy subjects of my God in the kingdom of
peace and love, and where the destroyer cannot com.e. —
It has and will be my sincere prayer to God that you might
be brought into this happy kingdom before your bodies
are laid in the silent grave ; for if you are not brought h\
this side of the grave, you will not be permitted afterwards,
all who die out of this happy kingdom will be dedd,, and
TiOne of them will have entrance, for my king is not the
king and God of the dead, but is the king and God cftlie
living who have heard and obeyed his voice, even the
gospel trum])et, which is to awaken the dtad*who die in-
trespass and sin ; and all who awake to the resurrection of
true obedience shall rise to the resurrection of life, and
be brought into the promised land by the guidance of
the angel of my God, sect to seek and ^ave all the lost
?heep of the house of Israel, not only them, but every bu-
rn an being that is, has been, or v.- ill be born of woman in
this world of time, will escape his merciful and loving vi-
sitation ; for he is sent to all, and will call on all that are
and will be, inviting the sons and daughters of men. Thia
is what tl^e Fattier of ail mercies haih sent bin', to doj
and there is ^ other angel or man appeinttd to this work,
but that spirit or angel dwelling in Jesus Christ, whose bo-
dy was crucified above seventeen hundred vears ago, (ac-
cording to the account recorded in the scriptures) raised
again, and ascended into heaven in that precious body,
where ithas eternal rest in the glory of the Father; which
glory the said angp) or spirii had with the Father before it
catered into vromb of the Virgin Mary, This is the very

( 11 )

Christ which came dowj. iio-n aeaven, and the light t}^t
eniightent-h uvttry one coming iato the world | he is ihe
bread that curue do.wii Iroxn heaven, andtde life of all ttiat
eat thereof i all w ho refuse to eat ofi this bread btiore tiiey
are cail-id to go hence, where they are seen no m^re of
men, vnh go without any life in ih^m j for he who is the
}v r has declared, that except we do At the flesh

an.i ui .r-K ihe blood of die Son of m^tn, we should have no
life in us ; and he has further declared thai his flesh is
meet indeed, and that his blood i^ drink indeed, and that
-whosoever should eat and drml: thereof shotsid live for-
ever. Now he is ready to give his blood to all who will
arise, open and receive him in his merxiiful and loving vi-
sitation rforheis, has been and will be standing at the
door ' of the hearts of the sons and daughters
of men, kncckino; with a loving desire they should opefi h
let him come into them, wherein he would spread the hea-
venly table, set that bread which came down from heaven,
and pour out the wine of his Father's kingdom ipto the
tup of his salvation. He lovmgiy mvites ail that will o-
pen to sup with him, and if they will sup with him, he will
aup with them ; this is the time in truth wherein man is
'uade partaker of the Lord's supper, for it is the Lord's
upper indeed ; and all who eat of this supper are worthy,
because it is the Lord himself that spread the table, and
put the bread and wine thereon, in which they can discern
his body, ap^d in dlsceri-ing they hear his voice in his
lovely invitation saying, eat oi his bread and drink ot ins
wine, which is his spirit coine down from heaven, called
in the scriptures the bread of life ; which did not come of
itself, but the Father sent it, that it might be the light
& life of the sons and daughters af men that received it.
It is the angels' bread, on which they live, praise, wor-
ship and adore the holy one cf heaven ; it is also the
Saints' bread which was so bruised on account of our sins
and transgressions. But now it is the bread of life, and
gives life and salvation to ail that receive it; it gives them
a sensibility of (jod's love in sending them angels' lood
to eat whilst on earth, and by eating thereof they are
strengthened to praise him, be they of v/hat colour or na-
tion u'hatsoever; this bread being the love of God, and
being filled therewith, they love and praise him on earth

( 12 ■)

"'R'ltli'Ril their ^.esrts, r/ith all thtir souls, and-vvitli all theii
strength ; antl if they had ten thousand times ten thousand
tongues, hearts and souls, they would put them all in that
<iel!ghtiul \iork of praising the Lord ; ior his loye is so
sweet to the taste of their souls, that they do not only
offer up to God the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving
themselves, butthey want all people who have the b/eath
of life to come and praise him lor all his goodness and
merciful loving kindness, already bestowed on all human
beings, and other creatures that have been made and cre-
ated by his loving power and goodness, from the beginning
to this day ; but for all that he has yet laid up in store for
us and for all that are to come, for there are j'^t many
more to be born to receive his goodness. There is no
goodness but what comes from the Lord, it makes all saints
and angels love him, and gives that tender and merciful
feeling that ever was or ever will be in the hearts of the
sons and daughters of men.

My dear children, 1 want you all, and not only )^ou,
but above all things your dear mother, who has in great
sorrow and pain bora and brought you unto me, as so
many gifts ot God, to leave Lgypt your second station of
sin and misery, and enter your third station and travel to
the fourth station of life, into the kingdom of my God,
v;here he will freely receive and feed you with the bread
of life, which will strengthen you to witness the truth of
God's love in receiving his goodness v.ith me, ycur grey-
headed fiuher ; but I long lor all pr ople in being, that are
r.ov/ living in spiritual Egypt, in the bondage of sin, that
they all with you, and you with them, could hear the trump
of God, the blowing ct the wakening alarm, by the breath-
ing of his spirit, would immediately leave your second sta-
tion of life and enter into the third, and continue your
faithful travels in true obedience to the holy angel of God,
who will be a^-sure guide to you, like the cloudy pillar was
to Israel, going before to show them the way in the day,
and as a pillar ol fire by nighi, which kept their enemies
from hurting them,^ and gave iigiit in their dwellings, I
say in the bowels of G d'a love which he hath ot his free
goodness given me, 1 long and ^ray i or you all, not only
to set oil i'.nd travel through tht third -station, but that you
may be faithiui to your guide until you come to the straight

( 15 )

gate of my God's kingdom, whert die keeper will imme-
diately open diat you may come in and In e widi me in the
hou^e'of n.y God, not'made by the hands of men, but by
his holy hands, lor me and all others \\ho viU enter the
foarth station of life, into his kingdom; where it hath

e

.id

worship him in this great and heavenly meeting ; here is
solemnity, praise ai]d true worship indeed, such as is ac-
ceptable to the Lord; it is performed by the assistance of
his holy spirit, for there is nothing to be done before his
spirit moves the doing of it ; his s})irit is to us like the
cloud was to Israel, they were not to move in their travels
but when the eloud was lifted up and sat forwiird ; they
then could travel in the safe and right way. So is the
case with the children that live in ni) God's kingdom;
they must wait until he sets forth his worship, for this
worship is not like that of other kingdoms, whtrt many
ministers will not preach without monej-, neither will they
leave their hoines without some hope of earthly gain.

IVIy dear children^ it has been and is my sincere j-.rayer
to the Lord, that he \v(»uid awaken all our of their-Lgyp-
tian sleep, to that life where they might consider what the
consequences will be if they are found in ligypt at the
end of time ; and I will once more declare unto }Ou all,
(a§ the Lord has declared unto me) that all who are found
in spiritual Lgypt will be overthrown as th.e Sodomites
were for their wickedness. '1 he overthrow of Sodom and
Gomorah was a warning to all others, that they might not
sin against the Lord so highly, and cause him to:withdra\v
his mci'cies and leave thtm in the hand of the dtstro\ ing
an^el, who will not oijly dcstroj' their bodies as the Sodom-
ites, but. also thtir souls, and keep thern forever from the
presence of the Lord and the glor} of his power, viv^n he
comes in the ghjry of his lathtr, mii-.king.all to, stand before
him, some on his rigiit and some on his kit l)and ; aiid all
those w ho did leave Egypt, truveiltd iu d entered the
fourth station, v, ill be placed or» his right h'^nd to hear his
blessed voice, saying, *' Come ye blessed of my faTher,
inherit the kingdom j^repared fcryou fieiii the foundation

h

( 14 )

of the wofjcl," nnd prociaimmg bcifore all, the ^ood deed»
oi those who foilov.ed his good angei througli the third
into tije i\)urth and last station ; Iro.m thence to enter into
his eitrnal kingdom of love, peace and joy, v herein no
wicked men can come to disturb their peace ; for the
wicked Egyptians and their king, and all the inhabitants;
of the earth who did not chuse to follow the angel of God's v
love:, which would safely have brought them out of their
second and third station into the fourth, and from thence
into the kingdom of m}' God, will be rejected.

My dear wi^fe and children, remember that i said that:-
the Lord was caliirg; therefore I pray you to forsake
Egypt and all her sinful ways, and to follow the angei of
God, which he hus sent to ) 0*11 ; although his first appear-
ance n ay se^^m to some of you hardly worth noticing, as,.
the case is with n'jany, for thousands there are whose
concljict or l.fc declare that he is not worth their notice,
and so it may hfe the ease with some of you ,• but let me^"
your poor lather, u ho love your souls and the souls of
all men more tiian his mortLJ life, I say kt me tell you,,,
that although his first appearance is very small, so that he -
is scarce !v iliscernible bv those v ho walk in darkness ;
yet if yoa will turn to his hAtie reprovirjg spirit which
gives you' to undeistand at seme silent mon tnts of your
■lite, that you must alter the course ol your life and depart
from the evil of } our ^^ ays, otherwise } ou cannot enter
into his rest and pt^ce, ar-d that this alt>jration must be
niacJe before you die, for should }cu die without this al-
teraiibn you must l;e sensible tb,at it will not fare so well
ivith von, as you would wish it to be 5 yet at those tim.es
of his little i'ppenrarce yen think you would be willing to
go to that heaven \ c>u ha\e htard spoke of. Now this ex-
ercise is cccrieioned by the visitation of this little messen-
ger, whom the Lord sends to seek and save those vho
recr-ive and tirn to his instruction ; but this is so small at
h'is iirst apptararce, thnt those w bo live in sin and w^alk in
darkiiess of: en ovtrlook it, and for want of wisdom they
cai.n-.t fii d Christ to be their Saviour ; and the reason is
because ihey^cve that light which Christ called darkness,
TTore th. r. 'h*^ iirde reprover\light, which is the star the
vifc m r« cf he t.asi san , and \ttA the m in the way to s*. ek
a&d tiua iiiiii who was born king of the Jewsj* ; and al*

( ,15 )

though he was born at Bettuehetn in JuJea, yet Herod
and his friewds knew him not. The wise mt;n seeing his
9f.ar in the East, were moved by ;he appejrancii, they
sought and found him; but Herod and h»8 mnrdenng
friends covild not, and it appears that he dit-d without the
true knowledge of ids saving- power. So I fear it will he
the case of many who pretend like Herod to want to wor-
ship him, yet daily walk in the way to murder him. This
light was sent by the Father to be born in idl those that
wili receive his birth into them, for he Is not only ^ing of
the Jews, but he is the king of all the ri>^hteous that ever'
were or ever will be in this world and tiiat which is to
come, worlds without end. Amen.

Those wha delight to do evil in that internal world
where men only see by the eve of their understanding by
the light of darkness ; and by this dark: light, all that are
in their second station do evil by the c^aidance or instr^uc-
tion of this false light, and this evil light comes from the
son of perdition, who rules over wickedness, whereby
m\en see and learn to do all kind of evils while they livt;
without repentance towards God, and without faith in Je-
sus Christ ; for all mankind who have any delight in the
fiiiits of sin, are under the power of this darkness and
strangers to a christian life, without peace or recohriiia-
tion with God, and strangers to the day of salvativon.-—
Therefore, their judjvQient and understanding are quite
different from the redeemed children pf God, #iio have
received his angel of light and grace, and hath bro ight-,
them outof darkness inco the light of his salvation, which
is ruled by the lia-ht of the son of God. All who love sin
of any kind in word or deed are in darkness, and without
the sweet enjoyments of the children of God, or a true
sense of a christian life th:m what they hear ,with their
earthly ears ; yet by this they learn enough to be hypo^
crites, for they take the words of the righteous and^'the
11 inn e of God in their lips to deceive, vet kJ>eir fruits of
darkness deceive them, for truth and righteousness is not
in them, neither will it ever be, whilst they love iKxdive in
sin ; therefore I mav sifely sav that r.h^v ^le. ^tcwnx^r- ^o
the day of God's salvation, thev are like the babe or ch'^i
born of a woman at midnight, (which is the darknes*? '^•^'!l-
ed ®ur night) and dies before the break of the succeeding

.... C 16 )

morning, itdres without the knowledge of daylight, whic.l
enii)^iu'.\is our mortal tvfs, and withoutVsteing the sun
in the firuiaruent bt heaven, who gives us light and heat
to do our neediul business whilst on earih. So all must
agree that caiidren born oi women and dying before
the next morning light, (as thousands have) have had no
knowledge oft.iie light we call day ; so it is truly the <:ase
with all that live and die in their sins, before the}- see ii
light of the day of God's salvation. The foregoing des-
cribed darkness in->vhich men walk in their second star '
tion, is the dark light by which they are made to err iw -
their judgment, and make them often justify wicked
deeds, condemn the righteous, & plead for thejustilicatioii
€ii wicked practices — condemn the just fruits of God's
love aFid tender compassion, is all from that light which
Christ cautioTicd his disciples in these words, "take heed
therefore that the light which is in thee he not daikness,**
for by this dark light men learn to do evil, and by their
doing evil they are made manifest to be the children of th
Vy'orld, and strangers to the kingdor?^ of heaven. All th'^bc
are compared to the lost sheep, not only of the house of
Israel, but those of allnations under the heavei-^s ; of
which a remnant will be saved -: but the v/av of their sali-
vation is brought about oiily by their receiving his savuig
angel, whose first appearance is so small that some of
those who Walk in the foregoing described darkness, do
not think he is worth their notice.

I prav you to remember the great caution to be aware,
lest'vou be four.d despising the day of small things, icr
the first appearance of the light ofXhrist, checking and re,-
provingvou for your secret or open evils, is as the day
of small things ; remember also the saying ofChrii:
that they who do evil are to arise to the resurrecticm of
damnation ; that is, a separation from God and the en]oy-
nient of the good things of the kingdom of heaven, which >.;
will be the certain lot of all who will not receive and fol-
low this angel, sent by God from the beginning, and
will cor'^nue to the end.

IMv dear. children, I do hereby tell yom and all other:^
by what means you may know him when he cometh, and
wdien he cometh it is on-purposeto save yoiv, this is w'hat
the Father sent him to do, for it is not his will that any "

( 17 )

*aliouldbe left without his oftcrmg them the means of sal-
vation. Bat they who will not receive him cannot possi-
bly be saved, as there is no other visible means given ua-
^er the whale heavens, except receiving this little light
which enlighteneth every one that cometliinto ihi& world,
Kow this little light is like the .^j&j^oktbi this visible
d.'^y and our Egyptian state, or our second state or station
is like the night which we whilst on earth call so, being so
dark for the want of the light of the Sun, Moon or Stars",
that we cannot see to walk without being in danger of
stum;)ling and falling to our bodily h'->i*t ; this you ail
know by experience ; Irat our merciful God sends the CLiy
to give us light, to eniii^hten our mortal eyes. — Its first
appearance is very small, so that we can hardly teU whe*
ther it Is day or not ; yet being desirous to begin our in-
tended WT>rk or travel as soon as light appears, we go out
and look, we think it is not yet light enough to do our
business as we would wish it to be done ; we go in our
house again, and conclude to wait a little longer, that it
may get a little lighter before we proceed to our intended
business ; ''bat in this anxiety we cannot take any rest, v/e
are afraid to lie down and oversleep curstlvts, and by
that means fall snort of doing olu* intendeti business, so
that we cannot wait long before we go and look again j at
last we conclude it is light, by seeing th<i moveable anvi im-
movable things of this world, v*ih^ch we could not see
before, and proceed to our intended business. Ihus my
dear children and otners, you all know by experience that
we cannot do much work to real perfection, which is ne-
cessary to be doue to support oar mortal bodies with food
an,d raiments, without the aid or assistance of the light
which God spreads over tlie face of this earth every twen"
t}'^-foiir hour-*. Bat who oi us ali consider the wonderfuL
love of God in this great providance, of light we call day,
and. wnlch makes its appearance to those who are anxioiis-
ly looking and waiting, bx,-fore they can seethe brri;^ht
sliiaing sunto rise above the horison, and bid darkness
iiy away ; then every one having eyes and a sense of feel-
ing, know for certain it is day,, and althi>' ten thousand
tinges tea thtjaaaad-* were to say it was not dd^r y^^tthey
woiiid. siiii aoadnue hx die Erm belief tiwc it was- day j tor

B- 2*

C 18 )

they would 5ee and feel th;- warming effects of his pow-
er, which God hath given him to distribute fur the com-
liiitand prefiervation of his creatures ; -for without the
warming beams of this great iuminary nothing on earth
' ould live ; yea, the earth would be immediately barren
and stripped of ali her precious fruits — nothing on earth
can be brought to perfection without bis warming influ-
ence : yet God allows it to rise and shine on the evil thuigs
of this earch, both of men and beasts, as well as on the
good. But remember what 1 said of the wonderful love
of (i(jd in this one great providence for our comfort in
this life, for was he to take this o!ie blessing away, how
quickiy should we all perish. Rtrmember also, that v* e
should thank him, not only for this blessing, but for all
'OLher gins he hath s-o freely bestowed on us for our com-
forts in this life. Let us be humble, and come before him
under a sense of his loving kindness and providence mail
the lawfvd enjoyments of this life ; I sa\ , let us all come
'-fccfore him. with true thanksgiving a,nd praise, not only
with our lips and mouths as the wicked do, biit as being
sen.-vible of his loving kindness towards us — let us all thaC
have i^een partakers of his blessing give hiin all the thanks
and praise that can be given him by his angtls in heaven,
and his saints on earih ; vea, ten thousand times more
then all can give, for his gooduess is be}ond our expres-
sion, and h\' mercy !~j' yond our uiteianc •

But by thistirne, my dear children, you may want to
know bv what means vou will or can know when the hea-
venly angel appears, in order to lead you out of Kgypt,
or vour second station, to be your guide irLto the promis-
ed land, the fourth st uion, or into the kingdorm of God,
%vhere rest and peace is amongst the inhabitants thereol.—
Well, you may observe that I h.tve given the plainest
comparisons that cari be given — that the light which
is called div, and which spreads itself over the face of
the earth once in tventy-fo'jr hours, cmnes from the Sun ;
"Hhich our gr icioLis and merciful God has placed in the
firmament of heaven, to give; light and wannth to all
things moveiiblc and immovable ; I s-ay the light c/f all
other things whatsoever is derived from it ; for even the
light which the moon and stars appear to give.^ comes
from the sun, and if It was uUwen away thsjir iigtiS-'woulc

( 19 )

fait, and darkness would c >ver the f;ice of the em'th ^

aud as no light can be called day, except what conies trbin
the Sun, wliicli Gq4 has pliced in the firmament of hea-
ven. So is it with respect of the internal light which en«
liglkteneth every one coming into the world, ana every
sparksoftrae light enlightening the eye of our understand-
ing, comes from the lovely Son of God ; for none can
give us any particle of the saving light of salvation by
their own wisdom, for if any an^el or man have any of
this saving light, they must receive it from the Son of
God, as the moon and stars receive their light from the
Su'i, before they can cause it to shr->^. on the chil^dre.n of
men, because they are only the instruments appointed by
God to spread this light on earth for the benefit of meuo

I now will request and advise you to enter into a Sf)*-
lemn silence, & wait before the Lord in sincerity, breath-
ing prayers ; 1 do not say in words of the morud tongue,
but in the language of the spirit, and with unfeigned de<5;
sire, that he would please to give you a true understand-
ing of his divine Son, that by the light thereof you might
see the coming of the angel, which he hath appointed to
be the only guide to lead his children out of the house of
bondage, even the bondage of sin wiiich keeps many the
servants of iniquity ; and svhilst in this state are without
the love and peace of God, aa4 strangers to the kingdo^n
of heaven ; in this captivated state should any die, they
could never enter into the kiagdomof G-od. But us the
Lord heard thesighirfgsand groanings of the children of
Israel, and sent Moses to their help and deliverance, so
he hith-heard our rsighings, groaaings and mournings un-
der our heavy burtl>en of sin, and hath sent his angel with
the offer of salvation to all that are or have been, and he
will send him to all that will he reatter i:)e born, and will
fall under the cajHivity of sin. But when the heavenly
messenger comes;, he appears so small vrxt many will not
know hi n. It is now with manl»ind as it was in d^ys of
yore, for in those past days the people saw his bvxly, but
they knew him not;- and it is said that he was in the
world, and that the world was- made by himv ypt tiie
world knew hi nv not..

Pcrhap^^ iivy dear children, ya^i-nav yet .Te at a loss;
sifser all uighq- piam co-iw^m\5G-a% aad oi^aj woatkriiiiv? he

C 20 )

Ca>x be in the world and the vvond not know him. But
this means his spirit and not that body which was crucifi-
ed ; his spirit was in the world from the beginning and
will be to the end — it was in' the world, long before the
Virgin Mary brought forth that child called Jesus — it
was his spirit which came down from heaven, that saved
and kept that man we call Jesus Christ our Lord, from
all sin : and the same spirit gave Jesus Chnst power to
do his father's will, by doing which he was kept pure
from all transgressioiis, tor this cause his father gave him
honor above ail men, a name abov e all others in heaven
or earth, for he is *h>. Saviour,, and there are none beside
him, for if any of us are saved from our sins, it wili be by
the power which his father has given him- In order that you
may come at once to the true knowledge of Christ, I will
tell you as the Lord hath shewn me : the world or Egyp-
tian state is this ; ail who live in a state of sin and have
not been brought to such repentance, that they need not
repent again ; true repentance gives people a concern
to know how they shall, or by what means they can be
forgiven and saved for their past sins, and how to be kept
from it the remainder of their days. I5ut all who are
strriHgcrs to .this humble concern for their souls' salvation,
liv^, in sin, love to do evil, or. take pleasure in their sins
or those of any other persons, are ail of the world— not of
Christ — they are spiritual Egyptians or heathens — >uot
Ciiristians, but members of the world— -but not members
of the kingdom of heaven. 1 hey form the sinful world^
yei '* God so leved the world, that he gave his only be-
gotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not
perish, but have everhisting life." St. John chapi. iii^.
16th ver. It is everlasting life to knov/ him, •■' ior God
sent not his Son into the world to conds:mn the world ^
but thatthe v/orid thro' him mignt be saved," ver. 17", that
is,, by believing in him ; but all who will n«>t believe in*
him- cannot be saved, unless they repent, believe and re-
eeive him, orjelse be conJen:ined ; for the light is come
into the world, yea, the lig;nt which shines from the Sori
of God, as the dawning of the day makes its first appear-
ance in the ii.a3t early in the morning, before the Son can
fee ^iszliiCa. riie reasoathat tko*^^- wh/>- ar^ rae'.rih'ers- of.

( 21 )

before them, even unto th'-n;- but they love darkness
more thin li^ht, their deeds are evil and take deligiit in
them, so that when the light conies from the Son of Cjc^
to save them, many act like one who is recorded in script,^
ture, and had the oBer of eternal life on condition he
would part with all he had, and distrib ite it to the po3r,
and to go and follow Christ. Kut unfortunate was that
rnan, for he loved the things he had in pos*3ession more
than the Lord ; therefore instead of belie\ ing Christ, ta-
king up his cross and following him toth« promised land
or life, he left Christ and went away sorrovfui ; this is
the case, his been andrwill be with thousands of my fel-
lowcre.itures, whoareiapossessioaofthe fruitsofthe flesh,
yet many of them pretend they want to know what they
must do to attain this life ; but when Christ, the light^
tells them, instead of following his advice, they often go
away without taking up their cross and refu«ie to follow
•iim ; for they are' so much delighted with their possesjii
sions, that they will not leave them, although the light
makes itself manifest to their understanding, that they
must part with all the fruitsofthe flesh, otherwise they
cannot receive eternal life.

I wiil now tell you when and how this angel makes his
first appearance, and endeavour to mike it so plain that all
must know the coming of the greatest friend that ever was
or ever will be ; he is a spirit that cannot be seen by mor-
tal eves, but appears to our understanding, drawing our
minds into a solemn s'rlence, and plainly telling us that we
are sinners, that we must do better ; he then shows us a
way of doingso, which we clearly see ; we then are bro't
by the powerful operation of his light, to think it would
be better for us to do as he points out ; yet -although we
are thus exercised, manv of us whilst in our sins do not
tnow that it is him, whom the Father sent to save us, alid
being strangers to the Son of God we are like the rest of
the world, although he came into our minds and persuaded
us to leave our sinful deeds and go along v/ith him, yet
we are so ignorant that we knov/ him not. But such as
receive him into them he gives power, and they become
the children of God, be they male or fern ile, or of what
eolour or nation whatsoever. This is the beginning of his
frrit appearance, and all must remember it whether they

( 22 )

receive bim or not ; for their own consrience will be wit-*^
ness against thesn that the Lord did nppe.ir, and oiFered
them nt sundry times his loving help — that he did show
tnem the way by vv hich they riiight have gone to the king-
dom of heaven, and be redeemed from the slavish yoke of-
sin, nnd fiom the shameful bondage of ip.iqiiily. But as''
they were loaKn to part with their yjleusing lusts, and
would not forsake their sinful ways to follow his convin-
cing light, which did at sundr}' times clearly convince thena
•f their state and :ondition, and to lead a better life or'^
they would not be fit for the kingdom of heaven, I say,
every ont's consciencf Mill bear witness to the truth at
the day of judgment, when all nations will meet to be
judged, be they of what colour soever, learned or un-
learned ; for all those who will not take up their cross and
follow his persuading light, which appears to the unlearn-
ed in letters as well a? to those who can read the Bible,
for they shall all be left vntbout excuse. Yea, I say thar:
all w^ho refuse to take up their cross and follow him, thei
condemnation will be of themselves ; for none wdll be
able to say unto God, that he never shewed them the way
that would have led them to his kingdom, but all must
confess that his angel of light often did so, but they v/ould
Bot go.

O ! you that are yet doing evil of many kinds, has not
the Lord shewed you the way and necessity of stoping,
by convincing you that if you did not leave off and repent
before you die, you would go to a bad place, or in other
words into hell, where you will forever be separated from
God's love and peace ? The thoughts of neglecting his
offered salvation will be one mean of distress, such as vve
see in natural things, as if a man loses something: valuable
by his own neglect, th;^n observe how it frets his mind.-—
How much more will this be feltby those who neglect the
offered salvation of the Lord. Awake! awake ! aiifl let
me tell you what you will find to t)e true, whi:*ther vo.i be-
lieve or not, that the Lord did send his angel ih \t voa
inight see the way to the kingdom of heaven ; but those
that have'not yet seen, the Lord will in hi^ own timf* shovv
them. I vvould rather believe vou have all seen, an 1 think
it is hiqch time for you to be travelling as fast as nossjhle
mm of Eg}^pt, aad go no other way but that vmich ihc Lord

( 25 )

sliowsyou. TVc Isratiites had lo carry rJlthevrsubstanct
?.i.d liccks ^^^\h ihen. cut of Egypt, bfel \gu must kave all
yau have ^^oi in tgvpt into >4>} ^t ; k r nothing that is the
produce, grouih or'iruits otthialand or of f.ny othercoun-
trv shall tver be brcuight hito tht promised land, ior the
fruits ihertof are hch , and all other Iruits are unholy ;
thertioie none can be adn itted into this holy land unless
(hey leave all other Iruits behind thtm ; this is the cross,
lo torsake and iiave all the delights of the fruits ol the
flesh, \vl]ether they consist of words or deeds, and it must
be done before \\ e can enter into this holy land. 1 do rot
mean the Iruit vi trees or of cur coi r fields, but the fruits
of that corrin.tyble tiee that Satan hatli planted in the
hearts of the sons and daughters of Ad»m, which brings
sd much sin ard transgression ; and all who will not lor-
s^ke the fiuirs of the tiesh cannot be Christ's disciples.—-
The fruits oi ire fiesh are fully set forth and named m the
scriptures, and vou nia\ find them in sundry plates in that
part called the IMeW-Tcstament ; for Christ himselt de-
clared what would- defile a man, and that nothing defiled
can enter the holy land. Some say they have not beem
guilty of ail the bad deeds mentioned in scripture, nor
would they be as bad ;is some are for a great deal, lor
such a one'is guilty of almost every thing that is bad. —
This may be true, but I tell you that the scrip: ures say,
that *' a little leven leveneth the whole lump, and that
they who are guilty of breaking one of the commandments,
are guihy of breaking tne whole." Therelorc do not' de-
ceive yourselves, for nothing unclean can enter the king-
dom ot Ciod.

Here is the rtecessary question you ought to put to your
souls : O ! my soul art thou clean or unclean ? and il you
will put this close, I think your souls will answer either
clean or uijclr-an ; if the answer should be unclean, may
1 tell } ou that th« angtl of God is sent to you for.this pur-
pose, to call" you out of your uncleanness, whether great or
sniail, far ail the fvuiis of the flesh are unclean ; and they
.who will not take up ihf ir cross^ which tfttnieth those
frmts, and foUow Ci>risl, cannot be his disciples. Then
ex-amine yourselves before it is tjoo late, that you may
know \tihethei vr;u are sowing the seeds oi the lie .sh>
whereby you will reap corrupiion, *^i^^ s*^P^5^^^*^ yourselvta

( 24 )

from the ki;;)g(lom of hcavtn ; or v. bother you rre sowing
to the spirit ot the Lord, by vthich you mi.y rtap iile
everlasting.

As man is a forgetful creature, and the names of the-
diilcrent sorts ot sin, caiied the fruits x)i the rlesh, arei-
scattered' about in diilerent parts of the scriptures, 1 will^
here mention some, as related in the 7th chapt. oiSt Mark,
21st ver. Sic.^*"' Evil Thoughts, adulteries, fornications,
murders, thefts, covetousntss, wickedness, deceit, kisci-
viousness, an evil eye, blaspheipy^ pride, foojislffifess &c.
-defiles a man." And Paul Sit\ s in his epistle to the:~

Gaiatians, 5ih chapt. i9ih ver* Jkc, that the iruits of tlie
flesh are, *■'■ Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lascivious-
ness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations,
v/raih, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders,
drunlvenness, reveiiin^^s, and such like fruits, that thej
who do such things shall not enter the kingdom of God.''
Evil thoughts is the first source from whence the above
xiamed evils come, and man)- others, such as lieing, false
swearing cheating & unjust dealings of any kind, cursing
swearing and idle evil speaking, which often provoke
otiiers to do the same, breaking promises and covenants,
with unmercifulness to both men and beasts, and taking*
pride of their deeds in figiiting and beating their fellow
creatures, often staining their garments with their bltjod;
pinching, screwing and starving those they have under
their power, }ea, sometimes pinching them.selves witU
hunger rather ttien spe^d a few pence, becatvse the price
of what ihey want to eat ordiink, is a little higher than
what thev want ta give, but ii they can by iheir crafty lies
get it tinder value, or given to them they will not starve;
they covet the siibstaace of other men's labour, yet are
unwilling to make satisfaction fijr the same — breakhig
their covenanis made before God at their marriage, turn-
ing their love, (if ever they had any for their wives) to
other w^omen, becoming harsh to them and tlieir families ;
maiiv Nvomen a»so oo the same and defile their marriage
beds vvitn other men, have no r^gard^to the words of their
mouths, bein^ as tke old proverb says, never satisfied
withtaeir iawffcithusi}an ; , nelih - fud nor fasting, al vays
suivmg for inast^^ry, pleading before other people^, ris^f
iuty were kind and; loving lo their husbands, boi as soon

? gone arc full of contention, opposing tli^R^ in their con-
cerns with obstinate resistance, without considering what
the consequences may be, nor recollecting that God has
^.iven authority to the man as head of his wife and family,
\^herein he can and ought to mal-e just and merciful laws,
and that it is dangerous to resist his power and authority,
for they who resist it are in danger of coming vmder that
'tDrrector mentioned by the apostle Paul, in the loth
chapt. and 2d ver. of his <?pistle to the Romans in these
words : " Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, re-
sisteth the ordinance of God : and they that resist, shall
receive to themselves damnation.*.' This is very true,
and all will find it so both men a.nd women : for there are
varioLis branches of power given by God, hrst the king's
power, which regularly branch out until it reaches every
husbands, who have authority over all under their care ^
novr the wife is under the care and authority of the hus-
band, even by her covenantal vows and promises made of
her free will on the clay of her marriage ; but many wo -
liiendo not regard this, they will contend for the mastery,
ivliich will be sooner or later to their confusion, and unles*^
they repent and forsake such shameful ways, they will fall
short of entrance into the kingdom of God. O my dear,
daughters ! hear me, for these are fruits of the flesh,
brought forth in Egypt, and not fit for the promised land ;
for thf y who bring such fruits are in their second station
of life, and in danger every moment of their life of being
rejected, because they bring no other fruit?; but thorns and
briers, which often pierce them and their husbands to the
heart. There are many more which 1 have not mention-
ed, but I vi^ill leave you, my dear children, and others, to
pray to the Lord that v.hen he appears, it would please
him oT his own love and m.ercy, to make known to your
understandings all things that are uiicleai^,

CHAPTER II,

Of War,

HERE I wil!r«a"^e mention of one tTying, wft;ch i?, foi
l4)rwiDg th« <lestroviDg angel nio war & bloodshed, whj.c»i

C

( ^^ y

is of the lust of the Sesb, the pride and ambition of sinful
liic, and void of the real love cf God ; for no n'.ari whose
spirit is redeemed and bro't out of his second station of
sin and transgression into the promised land, will ever
shed the blood of his fellow creatures as long as he is an
inhabitiint thereof ; for then he is under the pr©tection
and. guidance of .grace, which lends to love and peace. But
there are thousands of thousands who claim the name of
being followers of that grace of God, which brings salva-
tion to all who receive and follow its instructions, will in
a futui-e day find the great mistake they are under, either
wilfully or ignorantly ; for it is vain to claim that name
unless they wiil separate and be separated from all destroy-
ing angels, and onl}' cleave to him who did not come to
destroy men's lives but to save them, for rather than des-
troy or have the souls of mankind destroyed, he left all
the glory he had in his father's kingdom, and came into
this sinful -svorld to save them. There was no other ap-
pointed by the Father to save or l^e a Saviour, but this
lovely grace, or angel, or lamb of God, which is, has been,
and will be slain, from the foundation of the world to the
end G^' man's coming out ot Egypt ; but when all his
saints and seed are redeemed and brought out of Egypt,
he will sliow his power and come in great glory ; then all
the bloodshedders who pretended to be his followers,
wjll fmd their vvilful mistake, (if I may be allowed the ex-
pression of mistake.) This angel will be witness against
tb'^m, and they will be o'^liged to confess that the dear
Sa'.-ir)ur often did trv ro persuade them to forsake the des-
troying angel, to turn from all evil and follow that grace
which would lead them to a sober anl righteous life, that
V uld have made them acceptable heirs of the kingdom
of heaven. They will then knov/ the difference between
serving or not servin^j God, and between pure and unde-
f-.ed religion and that v^-hich is feigned ; for those \yho
folloVthe destroyer mnke great ■ profession in a formal
.worship, by pray in cr, .singing, baptizinir and iv.nng baptiz-
ed in water, but not in nor with the holy ghost ; going
ofcen to whit is' called ?.;ur:in.nt yet tmu. in strange rs
t'» the bod v"and blood of (hrlst. which they prrtend,^o eat
a '^ drink, but thev d'> not ; for did they eat and drir-k
thereof they wouid be immediately changed and redeem-

( 27 )

ed from the house of b.md i-^e, and would be brought into
the promised hmd, where Christ rules in peace and h)ve ;
for whoever comes there comes to the house of God, buiit
by his hoh' hands, whereon it hath pleased him to put hif?
holv name, that it might be c-nlled the new Jerusalem^
and is very different from the old one built by the hands or
-men, of the stones of this earth, in the day of the prosp2-
r.ty of the children of Israe^ and was to be^throw.i down &
dore away ; even that great house called Solomon's tem-
ple, was only a figure of what was to come and be done by
the Lord ; who saidof the old temple built by Solomo ■, that.
it was to have been called a house of prayer, but they had
made it a den cf thieves. It therefore pleased God to
take his I'.oly name av/a~y from that earthly temple, and
place it in the house built by his holy hands ,• tb.e all liv-
ing stone Jesus Christ himself, being the chief corner
thereof, and onw^hichthe foundation and holy building
are firmly framed. This is the house which the prophets
Ezekiel and Micah saw in their visions, and was to be
built in the latter days ; it was to be established on the^top
of the mountains, and be exalted above the hills ; that is
to sav, above every other kind of religion or worship on
earth. Accordingly, in these days there are many forms
©f pretended religion, some very highly sat up and
esteemed, like the mountains, others less, and like tli(^
bills. But the true and spiritual worship stands accept^
able to God, and will be exalted above them a\l 4 and all
people who love God will flock unto it, for a remnant of
all nations will say to each other, come, let us go up to
the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of
J\cob. — Here they will be taught the ways of the Lord,
and to walk in his paths, for the hiw is known here, and
his wo''d is to go forth from this holy place-^r-this is
T:he spot where he will judge manv people, and rebuke
strong nations ; before which he will cause thepi to bent
their swords into plough shears, and their spears inio
pl"uning hooks, so that they may not learn war anv more,
■^his is the place where every one set under his vine and
fig tree, and there is none to mak^ them afraid — here are
no wicked men, nor anv that do evil — here the name'of
the Lord is placed, and all who come have to call on it, by
which they are saved ; but in calling on his holy name

( 23 )

tViey must depart from ail evil, otherwise they cannot en-*
ter, for as this place is holy nothing unholy can come inro
it. It Is the delight of the inhabitants of this holy place,
to call on the narae of the Lord — there is no bloodv wars
amongst thetn ; here they are restored to the image of
0^>d m which man was first created and oioathed \<rithi
whilst they v/ere in the garden before they ate the forbid-
den fruit. ' •'-*
I say there would h-^v^ been no war nor bloodshed if
man had remained in obedience to God's comm-inds, but
by t'le disobedience ofeatin:^ of the foroid len fruit, thev
lost the imagie,ofGod ard became naked in spirit,
of which they- were ashamed ; and whMi they heard the
voice of God 'in the garden they hid themselves', but to no
purpose J for the Lord by his pnwer brought them tQ
give an account of themselves, after which to punish them
for their transgression, the Lord cast them out of the gar-
den of Eden, which was to- tliem as a paradise, and would
have been as long as they would have lived in true obedi-
ence ; but it is no more, and cannot be restored to men
unless they come into the fourth station, which no man
can attain by means of their own ; for unless they receive
the Lord from heaven, believe and follow him out of the
second station through the third into the fourth station^
they cannot be his disciples ; & they who are not Christ's
will not have the image of God restored ta them, neithei*
will they V)c tit for the kingdom of heaven, for none shall
enter therein but those who by true repentance have been
prepared to, receive the Lord andfoUow him to the fourth
station.

Now any one. that has eyes may see there was no w?fr
Bor bloodshed in man's first station, neither is there any
in the fourth ; for all who attain thereto,, are children of
God by regeneration and being born again, by which they
are restored ti3 the image of God, which is so lovely that
all who have their souls covered^vith it can in truth say
that God is their father. But all who call God their father
&liave not his holy image are liars, & unless they repent
before it be too late, shall share the same fate with the
liars who are to be cast into the lake which burns with fire
and brimstone, as mentioned in John's revelation. On th^
contrary all who have the. image oi God restored, to tliem^ ,

:

f ^^ )

ean call hiiif their father ; and he himself will own tUem
to be his returning sons and daughters who had been dead,
but now alive by receiving and believing in Christ, who
huth raised them from thedead and brought them home,
as the lost sheep who have reUu'ned to tiie sheplKrd-and
bishop oi their souls-

Ail who are in the habit of shedding blood or justifying
it under this glorious gospel day, either otfensive or de-
fensive are yet in the second statiou where war took its
origin ; for there was no war amoig the children ol' men
as long as ttiey v/ere cloathed wilii the image of God^ but:
by eating of the forbidden frait tiiey lost it and became
naked, . hich caused them to be removect from that inno-
cent and harmless lite which God placed them in ; and
being fi;und gudty by their ov/n confession, for a reward^
of their transgression the Lor-il sent them- out of the
happy garden, into tne wide fields of the v/orld to till the
ground, which should bnng thorns and thistles, and that
they shoald in sorrow eat of it all their daysv After this-
man. began to learn evil, and amengst the many evil« he
learned was that calied war and bloodsheds And where
did it first begin ? Why, it began and took its origin from.
that wicked man Cain, to whom the Lord- said before his-
wicked act ly which he killed his> righteous hrotb.er
Abel,. "• if thou dost well shult thou not be accepted r'^
that is to sav, if he would refu&e to do evil and learn to-
do well, he should be accepted as well as his brother Abel ;;
but Cain turned himself frora the covmcil of the Lord^.
and took couticil of the wicked one -vho was a murderer,
and by his advice Cain rn.ide war and' slew his brotlier,
who died in,righteousness, whose blood cried unta the
Lord from the ground, and caused the Lord topranounce
a.curse from the earth on Cain, which had- opened heir
mouth to receive Abel's blood to bide it from his wick-
ed hands. Here is the beginning of w^ir and murder 5;
and by this same counsellor who caused Cain to slay hisr
brother, it.is carried on to this day* After all, notice the.
goodness of God^ — although Cain had done spwkkedlyf,.
yet the Lord did not want hiia slain, but. put a mark oni
him to prevent any from taking away his life, yet he'vv.7 3
to b^conis 4 fugidve. and^ vagaboml in the eardi*. H^

c ^- >

then wenl from the presence of tae Lord, and made \in
cjweiiiiig ill t ue iaad ot N .ere theiujuse of God ne-

ver stood- nor never wtii. ; bay,.nouGe tne goodness of
God tovvards this poor wicked man, in o rati r to spare mm
Uijtitl iie'*w.oa;d sead^ nis- mercifiii aagel to call hini to re-
peiitiui.eyik oring him out oi nis secoad K^'ptianustate, in
which he vv us .n!.ered^ ife i.ave un oppoi tuiiit\ o^ receiving
hi;a vthom tile i.ord . au promisi; a to^t-nd, vvn-. &e c.dy was-
to oc aftfiei ?eed or the vvoiiaa, out-iis spiritof Gud ; ik
wastocoinetosevk c^ sa'^e po riost men, on condition taat
they wuuidjxceivQrhim i^.: open their iie arts, wiili mvitation
b^' pray -..r lor the Lord t*> eunitintoihem & aup-^viththem,
thai tMey nught be forgivea aad oe made welcome to sup
v/^ith him^ uii pirtuke of Uic parical la no bro nijlit by him
to kee rhe Lord's passover ; to enable them lo prepare
for tiieir reinovd out of Egypt their seeondotHtion, and
begii the third \v%ich mu^t be linished before they can
come to the fourth station ; where they are restored o the
ffr^seace td" Go {, whici> iri^y had nut- seen since they iirst
^ had departied from it.

A-id, as i>e{ore mentioned, lest Cain should be sluin^
(a:cr.i)''he jus-ly deserved itj k piea^ed th<; Lord to put a
ii*.irk on him*, that he migiit be known by ail living ; to
prevent them^from killing- nim OF,any who hadni* mark,
the Lord said ihat- ^ vvhose<:ver slayeth C in^ vengeance
9h<iii be taken on him seven-foldv": The Lx^rd is iaiiiilul
ia ail his pr^.i^ses, whether it be to piuiish thoee w^o dis-
regard his word, orto honar those whoooeyhim; there-
fore 1 pray alLof you vvho-are ir^ bondage and, shivery to
the d^:ist^roying'angcl, known by- the &pi.3pit of war, to. con--
s^der what, may be the awful, caasequenees ofyour beiag-
fo^mdatthe day ofjadgmeat, (vvnica win certainly come
oa all \\\\) h.tve been or ever wUi be bor.i of womany and
be brought to stand before^ ik^t judgms^^t seat of Christ,
tliere. ta give an account of the^r coiiduct hi.this Jife,) in
the garments of war and ■ bloodshed':, for if-Cain's pun^
ishtricnt- was grewter than he could bear,., as l^i^ said it wiis,
v/iiidi was .only one fokl^ by w do you think it wjill>ewith
tho<je who disreg.Ard , die thpeatenmg word oi God, v/hen
he^ ys that seven db-ld vengea^ice shad be tatcen ^.n those
v^ho- wiil-slay^^ Cain-^rrer. he ii-ad pvita mark on iiim*. He
was- tiie. iairiier g^aU miwUcii^i:*. aadiii^'i?— iie.-was.th€

iirSt man wlio killed amo.h », a ij. cUia is his marie, evm
tiie^uiark oi aiurdcr — m w ii.) nxv^ lu , marctunng spi-
rit are mar kJei' with it, aad ure )s.ao^v.\ by all who live :jy
tile hie oi iiie. son. of God,, w-dch Uaui raised ^aciii irom
tile i.'Ad by briiigiiig tuciiv hup cht: ioarth station, where,
^ah ^1^^-' ood. As Cain -vis du- tiht who recrivei'.

the ,.iaraer,n;>- iiiurk^, s-^ uik. posterity or children are
marked wuh die 6Uinc mark, ikaddesiiis iorbidden slaying^
any Oi thcm/.io' only themoutall wno are iuthe spirit ot war
6l hioodsaed, u-ither by practice )r jvistific ition, meanso^
to tneiiesh and are to reap corrapcion, /or itis die portion
alotted to then who die m tae. titid that brings trte briers
and thorns af war, which tear aad destroy ttie bodies oj
men either by oiFence or defence, and bring sach caiami-»
^ies a'iiong the children of oi.^n,.

After Cam hai received his nark, and the. Lord hadT
declared, that seven fold vengeance shoLiid be taken oa
those who woaid be so presa npcuods as to slay him, or
anv that had his mark, it appears that men feared the
Lord so mach, that there was no snore war nor murder ;
&)r they dreaded the pnuish neat promised by the Lord,
I say, that for four ireneradons-tiere was neither war nor
bloodshed, of vvtiich we hac^e an)' account left on the re-
cords of that ancient book called the Bible, in which all
scripture records. are kept, and. might serve us as a look-
iflg-glass by which we nugat see oar own faces, and know
what mark v/e. bear, for we are ad marked, either with
Cain's mark, wrdch inaki^s us known to belong toliis family
and driven fromlhe presence of the I*ord j — or else we
have that n^ark, which Christ said, uhat ay it all mea should
know them to be his discipies,, th it is his foUowers who
have followed his angel olu of spiritual Egypt, and the
bondage of many sinfal lusts ; and oy this angel ofT grace
redeemed from. their Egyptian, desires*. As a rewardT
for being. obedient to the guidance of his holy angel, it
has pleased ciie Lord to give them- ids owa mark, whicl^.
is- his love j, ev-n a. measiire oi'tliat. lov-e. which Christ.
hirasel£ was.- marked, with,. alLwaoiiAve it. are returning;
unto Id m who is king anl. governor of the promised Imd ;
where lie rules ail his marS':;d.sa'>jeots ;iv l'i\y and'peacej
tliere is^ no war in. his little flock— ii is. a little ^ock i^
eoiU£ari3i>4^la4hose. wha.ani. a:^r*:ed with, tiie spirit of

i^rsLT ; and perflaps tTicre is a thousand t(y One wiA fh#
iDd. k ol ihi^ dtsiro) , > , where ihePe is on^ marktd wiib
the pure love ol Gud, which is Christ's mark, and are
redeertied by tiaving coatimied in iheir Lord's word until
they kiieu' itie trutn, and the truth hath made them Iree^
from he slavish yoke which remains on all Cain's family,
hvery cue satying bis i iloxv-creatures und<jr our gospel,
dispensation, either in oiiensive war which sphiigs I'ronci
prJae and covetousness,. or of delensive'^ cfarrita on bjr
the spirit of revenge, have all Cain's mark. They pre-
tend to call onthel^ord and to pu their trust in the God-
of heaven, biu tiity knuvv riim not, for ij tiity knew t/ini
they wouui keep liis commandments; one"'^'^whi«h is,
*' i thy entn-) hungers leed him, if he thirst give him-
dri. k j" the it.ilov ng also, '' 1 say unio ytti thi.ty-<Hi resis^.
EGt^Ail, for f ti.iey smite you on ouech^ek turn the other
also ; and if tbc-y compel you to go with thsm one cnile^
go V ith tl f-m twain ; I'x they take away your i oods, ask
then/ not aga n : it thty curse you, bless them ; if they
spit -fully usejou^ pra^ for th'.m," In a word, youm ist
ov.rconae tlu-m by th.t example of goodn- ss ; nd love
VAhich }Our Lord has given you as a mark ol his kind-
ness, by winch you wni be known as loiiowers oi Ctirist,
and vvould lay <!own your lives fer the sak« -of^ybur
brethern. But these and such like con mands are not ob-
served nor kept, by those who are baptized in the spirit o€'
war V. bieh fiiis'them with the spirit of revenge ; and tc
be revenged ihcy call on tVei- father's family to go with
them, if they ctn find a sufficient number they will go iiv
Jiigh spirits, putting their trust in the arm of flesh, or
in their well disciplmt d number. The greatest part of
them pretend I'o put their trust in the God ol heaven, yet.
they will run il tiiey see that their o];ponents have a greater
and better disciplined nv.mber, which clearly shows that?"
their trust or faith is not in the Lord of heaven ;. for was
it so thty woulu stand firm, like the prophet did when the
king sent captains with their fifties to take him, but the
captains v/iththtir htmdred men could not take hinrt; be-
cat se the pre phct's trust was in the Lord, and God de*
fended him by his word without gnn or sw ordo Yea,eveii<
his V i.ri\, (li \ am a mrm of God) let fire come down and^ ^
4©&uoy these taL.;iaiiiS.and their fiitits*^ if tod did tlius-

( 23 )

defend one of his little aock, vnll het not defend all his fal^
lowers, whose kingdom is not of this world.

We brought nothi.m; \nto this world, neither can we
carry any thing out of it, except, a -ood or a bad consci-
ence, and none wha remain in the spirit of war & blood-
shed, until their breath leaves their bo<iies can l>e ^ood.—
Who are those who go to war without putting some trust
in the arms of Qesh, which will bring the curse ol God on
them I It is written " cursed is the man th:it maketh^flesh
his arm, whose heart departeth from the living God. . it
their hearts were good and right, in the sight )t the Lord»
he would not suffer them to be tormented with the plagnes
of war ; for when men's ways are in the Lord, he maketh
even their enemies to be at peace with them. But Cam s
family being full of evil, although they bring their offering,
thev like their father's will not be respected nor received

they are the fruits of the earthy and God cannot have

any respect to these earthly-minded offerings, which
praise him in,v^ord with lieing tongues, and deny him
by their wicked and bloody deeds— following the exam-
ple of their father, who- left the ways, advice and coun-
cil of the Lord ; and v/ent out from his holy presence into
Ihe land of Nod, in whose ways God has no pleasure.

Christ never gave by word or deed any example of de-
stroying men's lives, but to the reverse he said, that men
did not know of what spirit they were when they wanted
»ien killed; he further said, that he did not come to de-
stroy men's lives, but to save them — th's he truly mani-
fests, by reproving Peter for cutting off the ear of the
high priest's servant. Thus ydu may see that war springs
from the wicked whose ways do not please the Lord ; far
this cause he suffereth them to torment each other in the
calamities of war, which would never have been the case
if men would walk m the love and fear of God, ^ God
foreseeing that the Canaanites would not walk in his love
and peace, but in their own ways, and chose to follow
their evil hearts, and delight in fulfiiling the lusts of the
flesh ; he said, " that there s-hould be wars and rumors of
wars," for he knew their wickedness would bring these
things about. And because the Lord foretold thsm, the
.deceiver make bis followers think and believe itishonor,»
:,bk and right to fight ajid die iivthe field of battle 5, bul

( S4 )

tliey Viave forgot tliat they are hose who are to hnve strong. 1
dciiisioas to believe a lie, and tliat they may be damned
biicduse they did not, nor will not receive the love of truth.

Let us no-v turn and see Vvhit the scriptures d/cLire,
and it will appear that from the time of Cain's killing Abelf '■'
there was no more war for four generations, for men so
mach feared the Lord that none were so presumptuous as
to commit so horrid a crime as to murder a man ; but in
the fitih generation there was one found by his own con-
fession, who declared that he had killed a man to his owii
wounding, and a young man to his own hurt, it appears
thathe dreaded vvhat was justly due to him for doinj^ what he
was forbidden to do, and by his own confession was al- ;
ready wounded and hurt ; yet he dreaded something still
greater than his v/ounds. Such is the case in this age of
the world, to many who are wounded inthedi eadful field of I
war and bloodshed, to their great hurt. This is not all.:
their misery — they are like Lamech, the first man of the
fifth generation, who paid so little regard to the threathen
ing word of God, that he slayed a young man of Cain's
family, to his own wounding and to his own hurt ; yet it
appears that this was not all, he dreaded not only the seven
fold vengeance, but the seventy-seven fold; and if one
fold was so heavy on Cain as to make him say that his r-i
punishment was greater than he could bear; how must '
have been the fears of Lamech the second murderer, who :
knew that vengeance would be taken on him seventy-seven
fold. This curse has remained from generation to gene-
ration; \ea, even to this day, for if any of Cdn's family
or kindred are slain, the remainder (tho' it be tvventy or
thirty years afterwards, if it comes to their knowledge)
will require vengeance, and if possible will take- it seven-
ty-stven fold before they will be sati.sfivd, and if they can-
not revenge themselves on the actual slayer or mnrflerer,
they' will the first opportunity take it on his children ;
even those born after the fact v/as committed. For the
truth of this let us consider on the great revenge hnd up
in some American breasts, which will not fully be done
away in the present generation.

If God j2:ives a seven fold vengeance on all who are
guilty of slaying any who have Cain's m -rk, although it
"be in the field of battle j if any one is killed^ he is slain

( 55 )

arc! nviirflered hv the sword or weapon of the slayer, evfn
itit be by the agreement and •.,ppohument ol the rulers of
the lard ; yet he who shtyshis leilow creature is guilty of
manslaughter, and if ibund guilty by the judge and jury
cf heaven, he \% iU not escape vengeance ot seven iold, it
he escapes that cf seventy seven ; for it is him who dared
be so presumptuous as to rob God ot his fruitiul field, m
which he purposed to sow his holy redeeming seed, by
which the poor Cainites might have been saved, ahhough
God had not y^t prepared this part of his field to receive
his seed, but remained in its wild growth, like many parts
of our Unds which we have not yet made ready to re-
ceive our seed of wheat, corn or any other grain. I his
land we have bought with our money, and intend at a
future day to make ready to recei\ e seed ; but it any rnan
takes away this uncultivated land and rob us of our just
ri^ht, although we had not yet spent much labour to make
it tit for our use, but did intend to prepare it at a future
d^iv, would not such robber offend us ? O yes, you know-
that it would offend us very much to have our rights takea
away by anv man who never laboured for it, nor had any
just right to it. Consider what law-suits and trials in
court there are on these occa'^-.ns. You all know that if
anv man tries to injure us this way, or robs us, we can-
ijoi be reconciled to such a robber, until he restores us our
land and acknowledges his transgression ; we would thea
hi'.rdh be satisfied, but would in all likelihood waiii some-
thing more, for the damage d- ne unto us by such robbery ;
even after all this'we could scarcely be as well satisri'. d
with him asifhehadnever committed ortredsuLhrobbeiy-
Of ali the children of men, many are what may be called
the Lord's unruhivated ground,'andbringonly the second
stationary fruits, which are wild and hinder ihe growth of
the good seed of God's love, and which the Lord may not
yet h..ve sowed in their hearts, but he may intend to send
the cuhivator to prepare them for the reception of his seed
at some future time.

Soiiie may say that all who are killed in war is done by
the foreordioation of God ; if so, no man can be blamed
far murder, and God must bear the blame if there is any,
and all mtirderers be innocent; for in manshvighter ihey
Oiily do what God has ioreurdaiiied thera to do. Tiiis i»

a dangerous if not blasphemous doct'ine, and I can tell ^H
"who hold that opinion, that it is dangeroas for a man to
accuse his king (who is but a mar.) oi partiahty or injus-
tice ; how much more must it be tor mortal man to accuse
the holy one of heaven, cf being guilty of foreordaining
and appointing ni«n lo do such horrid and wicked crimes;
for if God has foreordained and decreed it to be done, he
alone must be the faiher of these horrid crimes, and the
man who commits them must be innocent—he only does
what God has foreordained him to do. But my dear
children, I pray you all to shun the very thought of such'
a docrfne, it is but the charms ot Satan which entangles so
many thousands of people, by which ihey risk their future
happiness — living in this world in their sins, without re-
pentance, without redemption, without regeneration, and
without being bom again ; for, say they, God's decree is^
past, our lot is sure, and no alteration can be made ; for if
we are of the number of God's elect, do as we may all will'
be well, and our trying to live a righteous life will do no
good. Under this opinion the Devil beguiles them and
makes them lay the fault of the^r horrid murdering and
adult€rous deeds on the pure and holy God, who wili
judge and give judgment on them according to their wic-'
ked deeds—even the deeds of manslaughter, which robe
IjoA ofpartof his field by killing uncultivated men, who
had not received God's seed, which hinders the Lord froni^
sowing his seed into their hearts. All who are thus slain
die without the peace and love of God, and without any
ti''ae hope of salvation. But how will these slayers and?
robbers reconcile them.selves to God, after having destroy-
ed men who had Cain's mark, which was purposely put
on them to prevent all others from killing them; knowing
the^^re the work of God's hands, made for his own glory,
that it might be prepared as a ternple for the Holy Ghost
to dwell in at a future day ; which work the Lord has not
only made, but has sent his Son into the world to renew
hib iawiul right, by suiftring death in order to ransom
these poor creatures, and by the price of his precious bloody
paid as a purchase contract, by which men might knovr
ti».ti the Lord has the w'hole right ; and if by these two
titles God has a right, then they must all belong to him,
whtdier they are wicked or ughtcoust What man on

( S7 )

^arthhas any right to destroy the inheritonce of<tod, and
l)f guiltless ? I shall iorever dispute the right oi any man
claimkig such authority, by which he slays or cause men
^obe slain, either in offensive or defensive -war"; unless
lie shov/s me when and where God gave up the lawful and
just right he has on all human beings, ior he first made
and created men of all descripiion, which gives him an
undoubted right to them all; even after this he bought
.them, and gave in payment the precious blood of Christy
'that by it they might all be cleansed of their former evils ;
intending them as a part of his field, wherein he might
when he saw proper sow his heavenly seed, which being
sown might bnng fruits to his honor and glory ; but wiien
any are .slain before they are prepared to receive this
lieavenly seed, God is hindered and robbed, so that there
is no possibility for him to receive any good iruits there-
from; and the slayer or slayers will have to account lor
j^heir deeds at a future day.

If no man hath a right to kill or destroy God*s inheri-
iance before he purchases his right of God, who has; the
sole right to all mankind^ what do you think O ^nanblayers
^'ill be the consequence, when God calls on you to give
him an account where your poor slain brother is f' whose
blood is crymg out of the earth to the Lord for vengeance,
IjQt only for one fold but for seven, and it mav not cease
until seventy-seven are taken. After this how or what
way will you fip.d to pacify that God you have robbed, by
J^illin>^ and destroying that body he had ma<:le to sow his
precious seed In ? Think on this O manslayers before it
Is too late, for if you are found in this sinful practice at
the hour of your death,- yoii vili be found in your sins at
Jthe day of judgment, for which crimes Christ "will pro-
liounce that eternal separation between you and his fol-
lowers, who are the children of peace and love, w^hom
€^od will place on his right hand with that glorious call,
saying, '' come ye blessed of the Lord, enter into the joys
«f your Lord, into the kingdom which he hath prepared
for all who followed him out of e il."

But wh twill the Lord siy unto you, ye manslayers ?

who refuse to foilo>v him in the way of salvation; an^

«huse the way of destruction where you are found with

J^ixlii^s mark, which will be a wiiuess against you, aiid by

D

( 38 )

wnicli the Lord will separate you from his shec||^ arid
pl-ice you on his left hand with the rest of the goats ; you
are not his sheep, for they are marked with the love of
God, of which you are strangers in this world, therefore
you will be strangers to his happiness hereafter — where ^
you ^^ ill be made acquainted ^\ ith that eternal separation
Avhich God will make between his sheep and his goats, ,
which goats you are, as long as you are or remain in Cain's
mark ; the Lord will say to you, " Depart ye cursed iir^ ^
to the everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his ajt-
gels." You will then be convinced that you never had
>any right from the Lord to kill or destroy your feliovv--
creatures I will now leave off by telling ycu, that he
who leads you into war is not Christ the king of peace &
love, btjt an antichrist, who has and will deceive all but
the elect of God, who are the Lord's sheep, and there ,
are no others that are his sheep but the elect, who have
Tt turned from the wilderness of sin to the great shepherd
ard bishop of their souls, vv ho is king of the holy land.

Let what I have already said and written satisfy you^
ii-5v~dear children and others, as a sufiicient testimony ,
sgainst war. But after all, should any be left in doubtis
whether war is justifiable by the Lord in his gospel dis-
pensation, I pray you ail to walk in the path which, I, your
father, did in the "beginning of our American revolution,
at that time I was like many others, who hear the scrip,- ,
tures sav, ** that there should be wars a"nd rumours of
wars," but did not know whether it was right or wrong .
for the foilowt-rs of Christ to go to war, fight and kill .
their fellow-creatures, or not ; but I sincerely desired to
know the truth, so thcit I might be made free from sin-
nirrtr ag.ninst God ; and I heard a voice say that " there
W5^s no fighting bread liowed in the gospel as from the
Lord." This voice gre:.lly concerned me to know the
truth, for at that time I wanted to please the Lord, by
doing what Avas right in his sight,. To obtain this know-
hdiie there was no safe dependence to.be put in man ; but
the Lord shewed me great mercy, and gi.ve me to under- ■,
stand hat the true knowledge was with God, and he covild
and '* ould gh^e it to all who truly desir'ed to^find it. The
way I ?ock was to walk in the path of praying to God
BJghtand day to let me know the truth, as truth dwelleth

( 29 )

with him ; whether war was rijrht or wrong. I also gave
up much of mv thne in searching the scriptures, with
prayer to God that it would please hhii to give me the
true understanding df them, that I. might know what to
do or leave undone. It was a trying time to r^e, and
what made it more so, were the preachers of tiat day who
iustifled the shedding of Wood in a defensive war which
thev pretended they were fighting; and that all who went
there were to fight the Lord's battle. ^I hese being men
of learning, and I hut a poor ignorant and almost unlearn-
ed man, -you may be sure it increased my troub.es ; be^
sides I was threatened for not joining thf. warriors, oUt
for all this I could not be brought to forsake my path m
?)raving to God that it would please him to give me what
i desired more than gold. After travelling in this man^
»er perhaps more than twelve months, I was lavourea c.
the Lord, and came to the desired e.d, where it pleasec-
him to give me the things I had so long sought for ; my
8oul was then satisfied, and I hope will ever be thankful
to him. His gifts are so firm that all the antichrists can^
not lessen them, any more than they can lessen God ir>
his kingdom. I could bring a multitude qf texes trom
the Bible as witness, but the Lord, the giver «ilight ^nd
life, is the one to depend on, and apply to — ^hiiri who has
visitod you in. the secret of your hearts, even him whom-
the Father hath sent to redeem all who will receive him,
and give themselves up to his government, whilst in this
v/orld. But it is in these days as it was in those past, lor
the scriptures Si«f , that he was in the world, and the world
knew him not.

I am now come to the place where I can Inform you^ •
how you may know when the delivering angel of God
co.nes to save you who are willing to receive hirh, or to
those who are not willing ; for he will come and appear
to all, that all mav be left without excuse ; those who re-
ceive him, to them he v/ill give'pow^er to travel through
the diife rent stations, and become the sons and daughters
of God. But they who will not receive him by his coun-
cil, j^re the enemies whom the Lord will declare that they
would not have him to reign over them, and his holy pre-
sence will slay them ; whi^e those whovreceive him will be
called to, the joys of their Lord, Remember the words I

said *h?it be was in the worla and world knew him not.—
Remember also, tluU ihe fccriptures say, ••' that to kn"ow i
him whom the Father hath seni is etermii life/' In order ^
that you may know liiiti hereafter, at the time of his com-
ing, I will ask you who it was that came to you, not only
one time but many tinres, and talked with you in the se-
cret of your hearts, when you vere alone or by yourselves,
sometimes in one place, and sometimes at another ; when
some power you did not think or, drew your minds into
a solemn silence — began to think on the state and condi-
tion ofvour souls — of dying, and where you w^ould then
go to, whether loheaven or hell, should you die -nyour pre-
sent siniui state of life ? which I call the second station j
did you not h:ar a spirit speak to you, whose voice yoii
well understood ; because it told you the truth and you
could not deny it ? it told you that you were not righte-
ous — it made you sensible that if you were to die without
altering the course of your life, you could not go to hea-
ven. By this vision, voice or light you saw your sins, or
part of them ; you also saw that you ought to do better, ^
and leave yoyt^i; ^sinful ways — you can remember it showed'
you the v.avs^'ou ought to walk or. do, with some pressing .
desires 1 i to go or try to go to heaven. Lookback, ]

and i think you will remember that often times you have- r
been thus exercised, since you knew good from evil, t
ask you all who this was who talked with you at these so-
lemn times, by which you saw that you were not good,<^ .
arA ou2:htto do better ? If you do not know, let me tell'
you it was thehoiy argel or in other words that light whieb
ctHie down from heaven, called the Christ of God, senti
into the world by the Father, that whosoever received and
believed In him might not perish, but have eternal life. I- 1
will also ask you \vhetheryou did know this holy messen-
ger or not, and whether you received him or not? fori
know the father of all mercies has or will send him to yoi>
all : but i believe that he has by his spiritual voice spokerv
to vou ; and if he has, remember that the scriptures sav,
if vou hear his voice harden not your hearts, as some did
of old, and perished in the wilderness ; but if you are
favoured again to hear his voice, I pray you to ob^y";
it, this obedience is the best sacrifice you can offer to the
Lord ; but I am afraid some of yoaare like some, of ek' >

( 41 )

t9 whom he came but received him not. I will further
ask you how you treated tliis holy one ? did you receive
him with the arms of your souis and press him as to your
hearts, praying him to stgy with you i was his company
sweet, was tre your beloved — did you give yourselves up to
him, and did you make or desire to make a solemn co-
venant with h m, us a virgin makes in her covenental mar-
Tying vow to her husband, by which she loses her cM
sirname ? in this covenant did you also lose your old sir-
name " Sin ^" did you hear the blessed company which.-
came with your Lord say, blessed is the bride of our
Lord, who is now married by the everlasting covenant
of our God ! did you know and hear that your name was
changed, from a wilful sinner to a saint or a christian ?
did you feel the sweet flo wings of the love of God in your
. souls ? did you hear the sweet tongues of angels saying,
glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace and good
rwill towards the children of men ; did you. feel him all
lovely to your souls, insomuch that you could leave all
things of this world for his sake ? was this feast of love
so ravishing to your hear s that you wanted all people to
come and taste of the good things of the Lord, Vv'hieh he
had given you, and are only to be known by them who
receive him ? The riches of this marriage feast the world
does not know, they cannot understand them ; the Lord
iioes ngt give these lovely riches to any but those who re-
ceive him in the marriage covenant, in which they resign
^themselves entirely to him, as a bride to the bridegroom,
who takes her away from her father's house, and she fol-
lows him to his father's house ; when she came there her
. change was so great a satisfaction thatshe would not for all
:the world leave her husband, and go back again to live
in her father's house, in the manner she had lived before
, ahe was married. O my dear children, you cannot know
, these things and enjoy them unles you receive the Lord,
and follow him into the fourth station where his fatiiCi '5
house stands ; wdien there you shall enjoy more of the
riches of his love than I can tell vou of, but this is given
^nly to those who receive and follow him from the land
ct sin to the land of righteousness, where the ivieek inherit
the earth under them, and the heavens above tbeirx. Mv

D :Z

( 42 ) ■

de;^ children if you could ail come and tell me tr^
truth, (as it is in the Lord) that you have all received iC
followed him to these precious enjoyments, which he
does and will give lo every soul of men, both white and
bUck, or of what^vci nation under the heavens, that vvil jrc-
ceive and foliow him to the land of righteousness where
the Son and Father are both one, and where his fol-^
lovvers are bui one and cun prais:- the Lord tcr his
redeeming love ; for he has given them a measure of
his spirit by which they love and praise him — here he both
shows his goodness and freely gives it to them — it is so
rich a jjiwcl to their souls thist they would not part with
it for the world, O ! if I could believe that you have all
come to these enjoyments, my happiness would be great-
ly enlarged, and many of my sorrows would flee away. —
But I am left to fear that some of yt»uhave not been kind
to my Lord, when he came to you in love, to court your
souls and try to persuade you to become his spouse, teil-
iiig you he would marry you in the everlasting covenant,
on condition you would oniy agree to forsake all your
sins and follow him in the way of regenertition,^ by which
he would- bring you safe to his father's house,- and where
he v/ould be your kind and everiasiing husband.

I know that some of you have been almost willing to
give ypurselves up to^he desire of the Lord, but 1 great-
ly fear that some of you have d-ealed very unwisr-ly with
him ; for he came in true love to seek you, that he might
make you righteous in. this world and happy hereafter, my
fear is that you have denied and put him off with flatter-
ing promises, tho' he mide 3^ou sei-ksibk that it would be
b'otter for you to agree to his proposals and go with him
— that you have looked to something that you wer« not
reaJy to leave — pcrh.ips put hiny off with saying in your
h(^art3, that after you obtniaed this, or that thing, yoa
would alter the course of your lives, and do the things
you b'aw by the light of his heavenly visitation, you ought
to do, and leave off doing those tnings^ v/hicii ne told you
njt to v^o ; and thus I fear chat you have parted v/ah

hi n ^v'\3 is tiife greatest friend that ever was ta xhe chil-

1 ■ «• J' .-, f

aren of men. ' ^

Co isiier ay dear chil Iren, and all you ojy ckarCbl-*
lo^^-crcatarc>, £ov X vvrltc tiiis f;>r voic sakesia th^love

( i^ )

oTGod, as well aa for my dear children ; I say con^idef
how danp-erous it may be, if you hiive seiu dwi l^ord
aNvay in the above manner, how do you know he ever
^viU come again, for his father has said, that his spirit
shall not always strive with mm. Don t you hear hira
a^r'm the scripuires, " yet a little while I am m the
world ;" after that ''- little while" is a heavenly visuauon^
wherein som mvsend him away wuh flattering promises j
but after this " little while," which may be only one or
two hours at one time, and two or three at anotaer ; after
this if you will not make covenant with and receive him»
he may leave you to >our own ruin, to follow your lust-
ful desires, which you would not torsake, although on
this condition he offered you a certain lot in the kuigdom
of heaven. ConsKler what distress this will bnng on those
who are so unwise as to deny going with him, when they
shall see him in his and his father's glory, with tnose hap»
pv souls vvho forsook all and followed him.- Remember
that many will seek him after he is gone, but they will not
dnd him, for altno' he is a God o( love, yet he will not
wai' forever. For the future I pray you all, that it it
should please him to give youanother vis^itation, to re-
ceive him with all your hearts and confess to hira your
faults in sendinghim away before— »oeg his pardon m true
humiliation— he may torgive you, it he sees that you are
heartily sorrow for ymir past condiK:! towards him, and o»
eonditi'oa that you will forsake all other delights, it May
be his good pleasure to guide and receive you— become
your Saviour, and bring you to the enjoyment ot the
happy kingdom of God, where there is noihmg. but lo^e
Sttid peace.

CHAPTER IIL

The injustice of Slave rif^

I will now speak of another evil, which ia tlie unfus^
practice of defrauding mankind of their j'.ist rights and
best riches by slavery* ;

But who will believe and follow me out of soheathemsb
aad unjust pr^aice^ by wiiicfi they live m ia^&avy en ti-^e

C 44 ;

labour of the poor black peupie, who are only allowed a
shaineful and scaiuy portion of boia food and raiment.-—
Bv atyrannical yoke these poor human beings are deprived
of all human privileges, even from receiving any support
or comfort trom ieeling hearts, grieved at the sight and
hearing of their miseries.

1 am astonished when I think on my past life, although
God is full of love and mercy ; yet when I look back I
am filled with wonder, to know how he bore with and
spared me in days past ; for 1 was once as many thousands
are to this day. VViien I went into this great evil, 1 fol-
lowe^d that false light by which so many are deceived, be-
lieving it to be right lO do the worst-of wrongs, which I
did in robbing my fellow-creatures of the best jewel man
has in this life. I was led into it by the wicked Spirit who
rules great ; art of this world, for if 1 had not followed it,

I should never have bought any of my fellow-creatures,
to keep them in slavery one minute UiUger than our law-
ful estaolished time, that is at the age of twenty one years,
then to be free and enjoy their own freedom. But I
bought with a view to keepthemin slavery as long as they
lived ; I had forgot the great commandment of my God,
and began to eat v^^ith greadiness the forbidden fruit, as
far as lay in my power. O ! wretched man that I was
at that time, to be so deceived by that unjust spirit which
ruled over me, as it does over so many thousands to this
da)''. At that tinie I was a professor of religion, like ma-
fitr o£ my dear fellow-creatures are at this time, who re-
main in their sins as I d\d then, yet they profess to be
the righteous followers of Christ, and so did I, whilst I
was defrauding my poor black brethren by keegingthtm
in slwerv ; ytia, I like many others who are now living,

II stilled that cruel and above all other unjust practice, i
went to meeting called worship, I sang Psalms and Hymns

. I used words night and morning on ray knees, every

•lav of the week in my family, which is held as a duty j
thise words were called prayers, and I thought it was
praying to God— each time 1 went to my table I used
words caUed^|.skiii^ a l>lessing of the Lord, that is to say,
for the Lord'tbble^ v/h.vt was sac before us to eat, which
'^is bauntifid hand had provided for the nourishment of
•lit* bodi^s—ufter eaiini^ i ako uttered words, called

C 45 )

.thatil:sgivmg' to God for his merciful providence, in giv-

'ill g us such good things to satisfy our hungry appetitts,
by which our mortal bodies are refresht;d a?.d strtngiin n-
ed. All this hud a very great show ot religion ; \ea, I

. did profess to know ttje Lord Jesus Christ, whon[i to know
is eternal life — this was only in v^ords, but in works, I
denied him, and worshiped an .mtichrist, who deceived

. and made me to be as unjust as the Devil couid get me to
he; for no robber canbcjiist man. neither can any thief

-*be holy. Ahhough a man does not gc himsell and rob
•n the high-way, nor kill and take another man's pioper-
tv — even if he does not go himselt wuh the thiei to rob
his neighbour, yet if he receives the goods ol the thief,
knowing at the same time they were stolen or taken away
from the right owner by violence, will not that man be
judged as. guilty as the thief ^ aitho' he pays the thief
sonvesnntaU price for them, yet it will not make him the
rightful owner, neither will his purchase make him guilt-
less. But if a man ignorant of the theft, was to purchase-
stolen goods of a thief and they be found in his possession;
if he would restore them to the owner when it came to
his knowledge, he would obtain some favour by our laws^
and all just men would esteem him for restoring them as
soon as demanded ; but on the contrary if he refuse to re.»
store them when proved and demiinded, would our laws
justify him ? I think not, but would condemn him to be
as guilty as the first thief. Could any just men believe
him a righteous man, or a follower of that holy one wha
iwme down fron>heaven, to save men from all such ftvilS^
Men areled into this great evil by that deceiving spirit
Vho gives them liberty to profess the knowledge of God,
and the ^-eligion of Jesus Christ ; but he craftily keeps
them from possessing v/hat tl>ey profess, for if I or any
other man were to profess and say that we owned all the
kingdoms of Europe, would our saying so and profess-
ing it make it our own ? No it would not, for our chainry
would be null and void ; so it will be with all who p^-ofess

- to have religion, but do not possess that which is pure^.

to keep them from being spotted with injustice or the un^

justified fruits of the flesh ; for pure religkm is only ob»

/tained by those who refuse to be partakers oi the evils of

this world-^take up their cross j and fgllow thair,|ioly spU

( 4^ 1

r*t which teaches them to deny all .ungodliness and the
world*s lust, and lead them into a holy righteous life.— .
As I was led into the abominable and unjust practice of
ieeping my poor black Brethren in slavery, (which was
my wicked intent to do as long as they lived) by a sel-
fish deceiver, so in like manner I was led out of this ab-
horable robbery J I call it robber)-, and that of the worst
sort ; for if a man is robbed of his goods and money, and
has his liberty left, he may by care and industry get more
goods and money : but when he is not only robbed of his
goods and money, but of his liberty and sold in slavery
for life, it is the last and greatest injustice that can be-
done to him — he is no more a freeman, but bound in th?^
most unjust and tyrannical yoke that can be on earth. But
as I said before, that I was led by a seli^sh deceiver^ so
I was led out and redeemed from it by the help of that
true friend of man, called Christ the Lord, who opened
my eyes and caused me to see my sinful station, alter all
my great and godly professions.

My dear children, the Lord my God who is king of the
holy laud, has through me your mortal father, kept most
•f you from this great evil, which was first establised and
kept up to this day, by those only who do not keep God's
commandments ; for if they who keep black people in the
bond of slavery, were to keep without breaking only one
•f God's commandments, they would immediately destroy
their unjust bouds and proclaim liberty — they would be
found on their knees begging God's merciful forgiveness,
for all the wrongs and unmerciful injuries they had com-
mitted in not observing his commandments. Observe", I
have only mentioned one commandment, and as God has
given man)'', vou may be desirous to know whieh one I
mean — it is this : the Lord said in this particular com-
mandment, that thou shall not covet any thing that another
is the owner of; no, not so much as his ox or his ass,
which are not comparable to his liberty. If all the negro
holders were to keep this commandment, all the trafHck
on human flesh would fall to the ground and be no more ;
it wo|dd fall like greaf Babylon, v/hose fi^ll made so m my
stand far off and say, alas ! alas ! and weep and bewail the
loss of Babylon. So I suppose it will be with many \yho
feave made themselves rich by that shameful trade iaiu-

( 47 )

man flesh, which none but siriiicrs could carry ©b, for «•
riehto.Lis man ^vould do so v'ickediy. All people who
breathe the breath of life have'an equal right to ireedom,
> it uas given to them by their maker— by the hiw oi justice
and equity ; ai.d to prevent men from breaking^ this law,
the Lord 'has forbidden them to covet any thing belonging
to another ; and for their instruction, that they might know
what pleased him, he hath given them anoiher command-
ment by his onlv Son, Christ the Lord ; which is, that
they should do to all others in every thing, as they would
oihers should do to them. I take the liberty to ask those
who are in the habit of buying, selling or keepmg any ot
mv black brethren, who were formed by the same hand vrc
all were, whether they, in the midst of their great proles-
sion, keep this commandment or not; as they are all t«
eive an account at a future day, of their obedience or dis-
obedience in keeping or breaking the commandments ot
that great pjwer, who is above all others m heaven or
c?rth, unto whom every knee shall bow and every tongue
shall confess— I say, are you who are masters or mistres-
ses, (so called by men and the law of our land) wilhngt*
have your station changed— are you willing that the ne-
groes should do to you as you do to them ? Pause a httlc
while, and let truth bear witness.

Do I not hear truth say, '' all have fallen short ot keep-
ing my commandments, and some have scarcely thought
on them— instead of obeying me, the Lord, who made aU
men and placed them on equal ground in the beginnins:,
to enjoy the iree exercise of their ownselves, as long as I
saw it best to spare and continue them on earth. Yea,
some instead of doing to my black people, whom I made
and created by my own wisdom, according to my own
pleasuse, for mv own wise ends, (past the masters and
mistresses' finding out) I, that am in authority above all,
will call all to an account; truth isxeady to bear witness
that some have scarcely thought of keeping my command-
ments, for instead of' doing to the black people as they
would the black people should do unto them, -if the scale
of the times was changed, th. y do as barbarously ro my
bla.jk people, as tho' they were not mine and in w .cm I
am tbhe glorified; or as tho' they were not to give an ac-
count of their barbarous usage to mV people whona I>

(48 )

trat^, d'\:d make for my own glor), and placedthem in wij
own land, wherein they were my free people to enjoy the
fruits of their own hand'a iftbourl-in my own land, which
I gave them to be a free nation, as all other people of all
other nations are in their own land and countries. Bu't
these menvof other nations who were breakers of my com-
mandments, were to me as highwayman, or as thieves and
roobers,; have gone over my great ocean, and crossed my
great seas to my good land.; where they have spread their
evils to accomplish their wicked designs amongst my peo-
ple — they have robbed and fixed robbers by corrupting
the rulers that were over my people, in the land that 1
gave them to dw^ell in, and have caused wars, bloodshed '
and murders to take my people to make merchandise of
them — to sell them to other nations which iniquity h&rd
corrupted, and to satisfy their own lusts have bought and "
put them under the yoke of the most abject slavery,
wherein they use them as if they did not belong to me, or
as if they were not created and made by my holy hand^
for my own glory. But I, the Lord^ who looked dowa ^
on my people Israel, in the days of Pharaoh king of Egyp^
«nd heard their groanings under the oppressive hand of
their task-masters, even I, will look down in my owatime
on my people, who are used as if they were not mine ; I^
that am God over all and above all, will look down and
behold the affliction of my people, I will not foiQct their
groanings and cries, nor the bloo<l that has trickled down
their backs as watet, to satisfy the rage of unmerciful
jnastcrs a»d tTTTstresses, who consume the labours of my
black people on their wanton lusts. What will these

masters aad mistresses do, when I call them to give me
an account «f their unjust dealings, in using my people so
barbarously ? I, truth, am not so forgetful as to forget
the least of their evil deeds, tho' they are committed ever
so secretly; neither shall I want a witness in the day ap-
pointed for judgment, for I, truth, hath placed a faithful
and true witness in the hearts of all rren, who shall arise
and bear witness for me^ for the praise, honor and glory
©fall that loved me and kept my eumniandments ; anci for
the condemnuiion of all who broke my commandments.
Wh X will these masters and mistresses say, whejftferiy
witness riscth in judgment, aiid hnngs to light uo^onJy.

( 4J . )

' J open barbarous deeds of i%\Q young and old mnsters,
a::d of the young and old mistresses, who have adornJcl
their own bodies in rich and guy clothing, and lived wan-
tonly on the laboiir of my people, whilst they ut^re op-
pressed under their tyrannical hands, and the hands of
their barbarous overseers, who defiled my virgins and
forced my people's wivesto commit adultery, sowing their
wanton seed in forbidden ground, whose seed shall rise
in judgment, and caute the sower to be condemned to
that death, which is, to be cast into that la kfe which is to
burn with unquenchable fire, where the worm eannot die;
for the old and young masters, and the old and young
mistresses have been wanton, and ma:ny of them have
been defiled in making use of the forbidden frtiit, with;all
the other evils of their most barbarous hands, m !)earin^-,
bruising and starving m.y people of l)oth food and raiment
— '^'hose^ open and secret dtieds my witness shall brings
to light, and make all these evil doers become spc s

before me, like him that came to the marriage and l.ad ul:
si v.-edding garment on. All those who have thus brokeii
tny commandmtnts, in not doing to o.hers as they requii-
ed others to do to them, altho^ tbey may say. Lord open
tUy mercies unto us, for we have been thy worshipers^ —
€v>ery time we sat down to.eat We prayed and gave thanks v
tfcese must be reminded of that scripture which says, he
that shows no- mercy is to have judgrnent without mercy ;
and will be answered with this saving ; depart from me
all you who \vorked iniquity or evil, by breaking my com-
mandments in not doing to my bhick people as you requir-
edthem to do to you, it there was an actual overturn, and
the masters and mistresses were placed in the same con-
diti9n of slavery they have fixed them. O ! ve white
look at my black people, and consider whether they are
the work of my holy hands, and. if you think that I, the
Lord, made them as well as you, are you not afi^iid to
use them as you do ? Look at their garments — look at
their lodgings — look at their educ^.iiion— look at their di-
e^ and consider if a change should take place, would you
be willing to be treated as you have treated theni ' When
•' ey are sickly what is the language you use towards
•m I How would \ ou like to be kept from the company

. . . C so )

of your wives in sickness or in health, and dare not go t%
see them without leave, and if you asked for that favour^
be denied for a week, perhaps a month, and when yoa
got liberty to go you should happen to sleep with your
beloved wife until day break, and the distance was such
as to keep you from your master's work until the sun \vas
up, or one hour high, and be in danger ei an unmerciful
whipping, as thousands have had. 1 hink on these things ;
and at your master's pleasure be sold, and not be allow-
ed the liberty to bid your dear wife and grieving children
farewell ; or to have your dear wite sold where you would
not have the privilege to see her any more — your dear
children sold and carried captive to serve from generation
to generation — to be used in the same afflicting manner you
use my black people ^ and for what ? is it because 1 have
for my own pleasure given them a different colour from
yours ? No, it is not altogether for their colour's sake,
but itis because you have through injustice got the ad^
vantage of the'in, and by a corrupt practice and unjust'
law, you hold and use them as you do. My people were'
free in the station v»'here I first placed them, but thieves
and robbers and those who break my commandments,
have brought my people into this my country^ Although
j'^ou masters, claim my right as if it was not mine, I ne-
ver gave any of you the right to purchase and deprive my
j>eople of their just right, of freedom ; and I, justice, do
hereby declare that 1 never did nor never will give any
man privileg-e, by my law under the gospej- dispensation,
to hold any of my people in abject slaver)^ from genera-
tion to generation ; although it has been done, yet I do
not justify but condemn it.

Perhaps mv dear children and fellow-creatures, some
of you may want to know my reason, for concluding that
all who bu} negroes to keep or to sell in slavery for gain,
to be as men who buy stolen goods of a thief, or
as a thief buying of a thief ; my reason is this, they were
.a fr^e people in their own country, under their ov;n go-
vernment., and under the providential hand of the great
master, even ur.der the providence of the great God of
heav,en— they never sinned against his lawful and just
rigfit, to any m^n or nation that we can find in all the re-
ro'rds^.^his gospcL But coveting nations who wnntJid

f 51 )

t^ live rich and great on the labours of others, without
making full compensation to the poor labourers, have
gone as a thief, kidnapped and hired kidnappers at the
expence of much blood, they have brought Africans here
and sold them to our Americans, as a horse thief stlls
the horse or mare he has stolen. But some Americans
have bought without considering who was the right
owner, and the thief has pjot his pay and gone his way ;
if even the purchaser was ignorant of the theft at the time
of the purchase, does his ignorance make that stolen
horse or mare, or any other stolen thing, to be a good
and lawful right to him after the first, just and lawful
owner finds the stolen property in this ignorant purcha-
ser's hands I I say does his ignorance make void the first
owner's right, although this stolen prop -rty might have
been conveyed through twenty diiTerent bands ? Thou
must answer that the first owner who had his propeny ta-
ken from him, if he ever found it^and could P^|||[|iMi|
property, would still have his right reptored to nw^By^
©ur laws, and all other just laws, with all the increase of
those stolen things. This is just the case with the negroes
and their present masters, for aliho' the law of our cor-
rupt people gives the present masters power to hold the
negro(is in slavery, yet it does not make void the fir«t
owner's right, v/hich was confirTied to him as a gracious
gift of God, and whose name is Just Freedom to all man-
kind : it is sealed to him by the ijreat seal of God's '.'ustice
to all men, and all who break this seal, break the law of
God, unto whom the transgressors must give an account.
To prevent m.en from breaking his law, God first^for-
bids them to covet any thing that belongs to other men ;
second!}', he gives orders for all men to do to others as
they would have others do to them. vV'hoofall the slave-
holders keeps these two commandments of God-without
..Dreaking them ? What did our Americans fight for, and
shed so much of their own and of the British blood r Were
the English going to sell all the white inhabitants to the
negroes, and if they were going to do so, how much
worse a crime would it have been, than for the Araericann
to go to Africa to steal, buy, or kidnap that people and
deprive them of the liberty they had in their own coun-
.tcy, and bring and sell them to be slaves for^ver^ to those

( 52 ) f

who are oftexias i.ilramane in their deeds as their negroes *
would be to us, if the scale of things was changed ; and
we do not know how. soon it may, for the wickedness of
our land is great, and we do not know in what way Gc I
miv suffer it to come aboutto re vard it. Bat let us turn t
:\v of justice which God has given to all men, as
just'ruie for them to walk in and live by j no man hath a
rig-ht to break this good law, which secures to every man
his ov/n freedom ; but any man depriving another by force
or craft or by any other unjust means of his freedom, is
as a thief or robljer, and all who buy in knowledge are
equally guilty. But if any man despises his freedom, and"
by mi-sdemeanor forfeits it, and for his bad conduct^is
sold for'^atime, according to his transgression, such pur-
chasers may be justified in holding him or her in bondage,
as long as the time of his or her trhnsgression required
it, .^iL^ondition^that they use the bound person in a hu-
TrTntv.v^^^iy J [>Qt when the time of the bond is expired, to
It I .v.;! a one free, that he or she may enjoy liberty again,
By doing thus, the jubilee would be knov/n and under-
stood in our country ; but accordinj^to the present prac-
tice amongst slave holders, there is no jubilee observed
in any part of our country. Further, the negpoes were
free in their own country,^ but^for lucre's sake those who
l>roaght and sold them here for slaves, w-ere as thieves
rnd robbers ; and all who purchase such ufijust merchan-
dise, are encr u '."ging he practice of stealing men, women
and children, which is a large degree worse than to en-
courage horse stealing, by buying tlieir thieving plunder
-^it is the purchasers who keep such wicked thefts up,
for if no men were to purchase without positively know-
ing the property to be good and lawful, all such wicked
trade would be at an end. Therefore all the negro blood
wlilch has been shed in Africa, to take the poor negroeg
prisoner tp sell to this country^ must rise in judgment
against all who had any hand in that inhumane trade, and
all buyers as well as sellers have their parts in it.

Who -cpuld have thought — who could have believed
that professors of the religion of Christ, could ever have
been brought to be partakers of such an inhumane prac-
tice, as to sell their poor helpless fellow-creatures and
their cliUdren^^as^oien seii horses aud cattle* These pooi

, . ( 50 )

captivated bracks are sold fro.n gentjration to generation,
as rf they were not beuigs beloaglng to the human fiiiiii-
Jy, or as if God who is only just, would justify such in-
humane practice ; but he never wili. Is it possible that
there can be any greater robbery on earth then to take a
man's freedom or liberty, without his cor^ent or forfei- '
ture, yet the ^ioor negro\ liberty is taken ajvay before he
is born, and whilst in his mother's womb, where it is inj-
'possible for him to break any law of forfeiture, or give his
jnsent that his freedom should be taken away.
God, for his justice's sake, has j^iven the real owner
of freedom privilege to travel throi-gh the land of Ame-
ric^a, to see if he could find what h^had ao long lost ; his
name is Just Freedom, and to my knowledge he has beert

.seeking for his lost jev/el more' ^lan thirty years ; axid

God has given him liberty if he ;Could find this p- ' "

^.•.veJ, to dtmandit where3oeve4he findsit. It is mere

than thirty years since I saw jus/ freedom in the State of

.Delaware, Kent County, wherdl lived at that time- it

was there where he first came afd made his first dcrat^Jids

^i me,^ for I had purchased t^p black people in tlie day

M my ignorance^and when Ibf ughtrthem I did not know

, tiiat just freedom had any claii to tliem ; at that time I
was ike niany others, who llWlieve have boui>-ht with-
out knpwmg them to b^ :stol\ti property ; so 1 bouoht
.and gave my money, which ha^ cost meinany a drop of
sweat, and he that soid them t^ me got it like' a thief and
wenrms way. But when just i eedom came to me, and
and what he liad lost m my Ws , he made his first

uemand m tne iy of raercy~*fe reasoned and clearly •
convincea me of hisjust and lawVlclaiLn-i believed tha^
-, ngnt was ;of me Lord j but a },e made no rash threar-
nrngs unless I give them up on|*e spot, I tried to p^ '
h.m ofrannl I e,uid be made wh|.. dthe money ivid

..paid for tnem, hy keeping the™ a^ljired hands for' s/( ma-
ny years as wouid pay rae. Th^ I ,ook such unipst
means to §.et m| money back, by intinuing the unjast

..practice o, defravimg them uniil j should raake myself
fia.e. Looi ,n tilis, and it may prWe as a glass wherein
|^ou_ may see »'he;her you do justly <{,■ unjust?y to all men ;
VI here I rested n the state of ipju«ice f«r a time, with

E 2

( ** )

a. determination to com ply^ with what I had promised ,
and it being a d:iy of mcc^y with just freedom^ he left me
under nw mistaken notion of its beiing right and jnsl, to
keep these podr helpless negroes in' -slavery, until they
would have earned as much as they cost me, allowing
them '.vages as hirelings from the tune that I tgn<K*antly
g-ave my moiiey to the ur\just seller. Look at this, my
dear feiiow-creatures who have had the same; misfortune
to buy su;h unlav/ful property as I had done. O ! how
I v/as deceived, '^fter all my prayers, and my preaching,
v.'berein I had told my fellow-creatures that they must be
li-st or they could npte/Jttrthe kingdom of heaven, and
that they must do ta all men as they vrould that others
should 5oto them ; A'ords were app^uendy good, but

"vvhere was my ex^uixxc, which speaks much louder than
arv -^^ther trumpet on earth ; for if I:saiy that I am righ-
t at-tKe sami time liveJn wickedness, will it not

1; r prove me a li^r. ? But so I continued until just .

f.cc i.-.a came again, ijid overtook me m a very solemn
time as I wa> feturnins^ from meetiag ; he dealed very
craftily with me, like %than the pi^pbet did with Da-
vid, who pis<^ed s^ntente against^ hi. uself ; ikuow not
v/nether he ever did take,such a tun or* any other person
r.s he did on me ; he begiva thus :--Sup]j)ose a man would
steel my horse, carry hrn away and sell him, when I
missed'the hor^e would Imot seek him? I answered that
I would ; he then said, supoose th it I f^und h:m with the
man who had bought, Hpa, although ha was ignorant of /
the theft, would I not; ask him ho'vV he came by my •
horse ? yea< tHats«-'nni to be certain— fthen perhnps the
man would tell iiie tha| ^ hou ^^ht the ho|se ofsuchaman,
had pal i him and ^i^skpni^, would I not^tel! the man that
the horse was mine, /nd that the man le had bought of
Kad^t^lea tht horse ff^m me-— that i had come for my
ho^^e— a.vd n- i vr^t n i^: 'i -v- ; bu perhaps the ma-a
V70 x\4sav that it w.i^/^ard iyv hi n to give up the horse,
for by ?rivlag bin u;>lie wo aid lose hi-^ manev, (the man
of who'n ,h« boaght 'islng g^ne) a<\d co il<l not get it back
if /he gave the hors-^tio ; b it it last I Iclearlv convince
the .nan th\t tie h )»^. is nil -, >.nd tinrjthe man of whom>
hi? biu rit h id no ri-iV. t^ s lid h^rse. jNow v/as the layr.v

( 55 )

keep mc ont of my horse, .: . h- '-a. rlenrl^. convinced
that I was tKe real ow:,r, .- ' • ..tomm.to-

be in ignorance of the there— u. trier. ;; u cuecase close
•lo me, whether saca a maa coukI bejusi m keepiag my
horse for his money's sake : 1 was obi.,j;ed to uns^ver no,,
that he could not be a just man, aitho ni^ ■ ■'i'^ ^aiia

allowed him to do so, that he might be muUe s lie tor tne
nionevhehad paid for said horse. IhenjUst fre.ao.n.
defied with me like the prophet Nathan did with king
David,, who passed sentence against mmseli ; he said taat
I was the man-the unjust man to whom the Iwot tae
land R-ave power to keep just freedom out of his no at, tor
my inonev's.sake. This was very alarming to me, know-^
i thaiti had often pubhcly said, that all men should
walk in the strict path of justice, and condemned ad
who walked in the path of injustice; and now alter all my
-preaching to others, and telling them that they must
■\k in the path of justice if they wished to go to heaven,
-ul those who walked in the path of injustice^were tra-
velling towards hell, to find myself in a state^ of injustice
in keeping just freedom out of his right ior ^^Y "^^ney s
sake, klarmed me much, as the negroes I haa bought had
earned but a small part of the money I had given for
-them. Bat now cam^ the trying time to, me to make man-
'ifest my obedience and love to God, for the patns ot
..Justice and injustice were i)oth laid open before me, to-
gether with the laws of our land and of grace, to enable
<^e to make the choice either of the just or unjust path,
' HI setting the negroes free immediately, or keeping them
?n bondage auv longer. To keep me in the path ol mjus^
'ice the deceiver raised all his power against jxist freedom,
and immediately persuaded me to keep the negroes m
mv service until the following Christmas, which was be»
tween four or live months, that my business would then
better admit of their being sat free. Just freedoni ae-
manded that his just right should be given np to hjm on
the spot, and without delav ; telling me at the same time
that the just should enter the kingdom of he^u-en, but the
uni ust should not— that life was uncertain, &c. Vv^he^n
^he deceiver found that T wanted to walk in tae patn x^'.
justice, he gave up so long a time asv€hnstmas, . and;
pU^d wifehme only.tokcep therrtpae-w^ek*. Xvist ireedoBii

( 56 ) I

sounded the alarming trumpet of God and said, that the '
unjust should not enter the kingdom of heaven ; after all '■
the truths of justice the deceiver made one more trial to
keep me under his power— to keep me from obeying the
commandments of God, in doing to all others as I would
have others do to me— the deceiver told me that if 1 gave

them up at that instant I should break my promise thut

I should be a liar, and that no liars could enter the king-
dom of God~->that if I only would keep them one week
longer, i could make my promise good ; for 1 had pro-
mised one of my neighbours that the negro' man should
go th© foUov, ing week, to help him to boil salt— that I
m^idc^d tbe salt which I was to be paid for his week's
wor^c, i > It the trumj^t sounded so loud from God, that
it broke the DcviVs power, and he left me and just free-
dom "to setde ihe dispute between ourselves. After that
selfish Devil was gone, who had deceived me so long,
^^:Ki kept me walking in the path of injustice, whilst I had '
been telimgotbers that they must do justly ; thus he ha-
made me like the hypocrite who had a beam in his eye.
and was saying to his brother, let me pull the m.ote out of
your eye. So after he was gone, I g<'ave my word in
truth to just freedom, that I would give up al; my riQ-l-
to him as soon as I got home — by setting the negro nia-
and the negro woman fr&ey which 1 had called my rjo-ht
and property all the time they had lived with me until
then. ^ However, I dreaded very much a further trial,
.when it v/ould come to the knowledge of my beloved wife]
for I knew it would take her unawares," and what the
consequences would be, I did net know ; But God bfolp-
.cd me to stand to my word and promise. I'he next m >rn-
ing I went for Negrora, (as I called him) and desired my
neighbour tosead him home that evening, but he did not
some until next morning; I then immediately gave the
negro man and negro v/oman a full discharge 'in writing,
for them ti) be free from me, my heirs, and'^all person or
persons vvhatsoev^r — 1 delivered them up to just freedom
the right owner— alter this I hired them both for one
mon4:h, rind paid them the same price that I could have
hired other hands. Thus I made my promise good tc
tny neighSour,'a3 tothe negro man working for him the
ibik)waBg w^t-^. When tiie Cod of heaven saw mv ohe^

( 57 )

dience to justice, it pleased him to restore me to his love,
peace and favour, which was of more value to me thaii
' ten thousand times ten thousands of the best pegl^o slaves
^ on earth ; for i would not have given in exchange the
^ love, peace and fiivour of 'the God of heaven— no, not
' for all the negroes on earth, and all the money and other
riches in this world besides for which I am truly thankful
,t6 the Lord my God, for his mercies to me in breaking
.jthe yoke of injustice off my neck, whi'ch I; (being deceiv-
''cd) had worn from the time I had bought those captive
1 negroes, to the, time that the Lord freed them from un-
der my oppressive hand.

I ask you all who are m the same state I was in, either
!iorantly or knowingly, and who still keep negroes in
bondage, whether you know or believe, that freedom is the
., negro's just right ? for all who keep them are in one state
or the other ; but I believe that the greatest part of you
iHtnow that it is their ji^t right,, unless there become who
have forfeited this right by some misdemeapor or crime.
I would also ask those who still keep these poor captivated
creatures, who were free in their own country before the
whita thieves went there, where God had placed them, &
where the necessaries of life are to be had in greater a-
bundance than in our country, and without so much labour;
I say, I will ask them if they were kidnapped by our own
people, or by any other power, who by their craft.and sub-
iility could come to America's shores, and prevail to cor-
rupt our states so far as to set each other at war one a*
gainst another, in order to take prisoners ; and to kidnap
all they could get themselves by craft on board their ves-
sels ; likewise to buy for a. small price all the poor pri-
soners, who the blodxl-shedding warriors had taken, being
the strongest and craftiest party ; and after they had got
a load of us, were to hoist sail and carry all they had thus
Icidnapped and bought from those robbing^ murderers, who
had shed so much blood to catch the poof father and part
him from his wife and children, or the wife from her
husband, and the chddren from their grieving and hearts
broken parents, who had happened to escape those bloody
thieves and robbers, and were to carry us to Algiers or
some other barbarian power — 'there sell us to the highest
liidder, without regarding, whether the purchaser was a

C 5ft )

good man or a barbarian ; if this was the lot of all men and
women who justify themselves in keeping these poor
Africans in their daily service, where many are used as
bad as the Algerines would use us Americans. I ask all
masters and mistresses if it was their lot thus to be taken
and sold to the Algerines, not only for their own life, but
from generation to generation, as they do the poor negroes,
whether they would justify the Algerines in the inhuman
trade of buying and selling us, who were kidnapped or
taken prisoners by bloody warriors, and sold by them for
a small price ? Would you not all say that it was very
wrong — that you were a free people before that miserable
misfortune befel you, by the act of those wicked thieves
and blood-shedding robbers, who had not only taken from
you every thing you possessed, but robbed you of liberty
also, to sell you for life to those who would give the most
for you, and thus put you free Americans in thenegio's
situation, and be dealed with as you deal with them ? —
How wouM you feel if this was to take place ? (and it is
not impossible that it raay.^ Would vou not say that it
wasan unjust thing for men to rob, steal and deprive neigh-
bours of their property, and that all who got their living
in this way were not fit to live on earth ? If such robbers
were only to take our horses, cattle, money and all our
other property, and leave us the rich jewel of freedom,
would we not condemn them to die ? and if we condemn
them to die who took all from_us but our freedom ; I say,
what would you masters and mistresses condemn them to,
who took from you not only all you possessed in this world,
but your liberty also, and sold you to as barbarian a
master as some of you are ? You would not condemn
them onU' as being unfit to live on earth, but if it was ir^
" your power you would condemn them to hell, and would
put them there it it laid in your power? Are the negroes
without feeling — are they void of all sense of freedom?—
they are obliged to conceal their sentiments — they dare
not speak in their own behalf — they dare not plead their
own suffering cause — the law is vanished from them in
all points oftheir defence, but it stands ready to punish and
afflict them, for the least word or deed they may speak or
do contrary to the will and pleasure of their oppressive
■masters and mistresses. O you who justify the unjust ia

( S9 )

their unjust dealings with the blacks, if the scale should
be turned over and you be fixed in the negro's situation,
would you think theii as you do now ? (if your thoughts
are as your words, for you say they ought to be slaves.)
Consider w^ll on this before it is too late, for v/e knovr
not what sudden changes may be brought about in this
world. But you masters and mistresses may look at all
these things as impossible, you cannot believe that you
can be taken from your masterly post and the negroes put
therein. Remember that almost every thing in this world

. has to undergo its different changes, even great kings sit-
ting on earthly thrones, have often experienced a wonder-
ful change — look at St. Domingo — think on the great
^juantit}' of blood shed to gain American liberty — -all this
was done to break the yoke of European tithes and taxa-
tion, for rather than Europe should have the right to in-
crease our burden by ta>fation, America chose the field of
battle, before she would wear any longer the yoke of sub-
mission. You all knowthertt fs a great difference between
the yoke of tarnation, and the yoke of absolute slavery,
which Great Britain never thought ofpiitting on our necks;
nor do I believe that the Americans had any apprehen-
sions of Britain's taking our all from us, and then take us
to some other country and sell us for slaves as the negroes
are sold to the 'Americans, who are «o eager to buy them,
as tho' they had n right to h imanity, or to the just law of
God. Do the Americans think 80 much of so smcdl a

: part of freedom as thatJbr which they fought, and shed s«
much of their own and of British blood, and at the same
time justify and uphold the greatest of all slavery that caa
be on earth, by depriving many of all freedom, and selling
them for life — even from generation to generation.

Let us look a little more at the aiflictions of the poor
Africans, who were free in their own country — living
under their own laws, btfore that wicked trade took place
t)etween the corrupted ruitrs of that cmmtry, and the Eu-
ropeans 'and Americans, who went there and caused them
to lose all and cverv ihing "neir and dear to them ; being
tora away from all their near connexions — the husbands
from their beloved wives — t!ie wives from thrir beloved
Husbands, and ohiidren from their beloved par-nits, never
ii& see them again. Tixis is not all, but their last and best

( 60 )

riches are taken aw ay-^the rich jewel of freedom, 4o
which they had as just a right as any people under the
heavens. This has all been done to them, and by who ^
Why, by those who profess to be christians. After these
poor negroes have lost every thing, they are sold for life,
and many put under wicked overseers — thiiik on this yc
masters and mistresses — think if the scale was turned,
how you would like to be dealed vyith as you deal with
them who are ucder you— would you thlDJi it was right
and just for your masters to use you so-r— would you not
think that you ought to have a right to freedom, although
ycu had.been sold through twenty different hands, would
that make your right to freedom void and null ? You
must own that it would not, as you were all free befoie
this unjust misfortune befel you, like it has the negroes
you hold in slavery as your own ; but God will in his own
time plead their cause, and show to whom they belong.
Suppose your masters and mistresses were to make pro-
fession of religion, as some of you do, what would you
think of their religion ?-*-altho' <hy master was to preachy
prav and sifig, and go through all religious ceremonies
that some of you seem to do ; I say, what would yoii"
think of their religion ? — or what would think of all those
who justified your masters in doing to j^u as you do to;
those, who ought to be objects of p!tT,'^nstead of being
used as they are ? Do not slightly look over your secret
and open deeds, wherein you have behaved like barbarians
to those poor helpless blacks under your power, for God
will sooneror later v^eigh all in the just scale of his righte-
ousness, and will bring all your deeds to light. I say, do
no look -over your barbarous imd unjust deeds too sligthly;
but I pray you all who are mastess and mispresses, to
begin to weigh and look over the sinful deeds you have
done to those poor helpless blacks, before the Lord be-
gins ; for when he begins there will be no respect of per-
sons with him, who is the Lord over all. But again,
would it not hurt your feelings to hear your master and
his neiR:hbour s.iy, that you-.. ere betteroffthan they were,
though it migh|: be true ip one sense, that^you might be
better off than your eruet oppressive masters and mis-
tresses, for their wickedness had put thera further from
God's love and favour than the slaves were, who had h^Qn j

. f 61 )

deprived of their all, and ot iheir liberty a1s# — v.Ktw y^u
V:Ould hear them say that the holy C^od of heaven had or-
dered it to be so — that you should be made slaves, and
that IVcm generaticn to generation — that it would not d6
to set you Tree--vvhen you v ould see all the devil'sscare-
ero^^ s hung up, which are now made use ol in argument
ky many people, to prevent your freedom, andtokeepyou
still in slavery, as the poor helpless negroes i-re now; I
sav, how would you leel ? for the devil has told the people
«f America that if the black people were set tree, they
would rise and kill the white* people, or else the white peo-
ple must kill thern — that the blacks would rob and steal,
and would not work to get their living any other way, far
whigh they must all be hung — that there would be no suck
R thing as' living in this country if the negroes were set
free. A g'reat scare-crow indeed] as il the masters and
owners of negroes had mOre; power to preserve cur coun-
try from its present danger, by the aggravating aud cruel
crimes committed by them and their no less cruel
overseers. I say, as if these cruel whipeers and

starvers had more power to keep us from our impending
danger, which may at some future day break Urth as a
fire which cannot be stopped until it gets tc the ead of its
ravages- — as if t^^y had more power to preserve than our
government ; wnb, if they could feel the anguish and mi*
sery of the black people, (who by the by are human be-
ings as well as we are) would be alarmed and say, what
have we been about? for rathef then we would submit to
be under the tributary bondiige of old England and her
king, we fought many bloody battles — to deliver us frora
her controul, how many of our forefathers have lost their
lives ?— our bondage under her was not more in ecirpa-
rison to that of the, negroes, than a 8rop of water from a
biicket is to the waters of the sea ; yet the Americans rose
in arms and fought to deliver theipselves from so small a
part of bondage, that their children might be free. WhcH
a few Americans were taken captive by the bisrbarous
Algerines, and held by them in slavery, whi^t concern was
•ur government under to redeem them, <'ind whv i^as this
concern :" It vvas because these poor Arreiicans h;^d been
free before they fell into ihe bands of this LarbAtftkiS peo-

F

( 68 )

;j»le. What! can the Americans feel the blessings offrec-
dom, and not feel the miserable loss of those who happen
to be deprived of it, by being taken and put into abject
slavery, such as was laid on those taken by these Alge-
rines ? If the Ameri. ans -could ftel for the afHiction of
their r(]unir}'men, whilst under Alg\ rine bondage, and for
whose ransom government gave so much money -
to restore them to liberty, how is it that they, have no
feelrngs for their poor helpless black brethren, who were
once as free in their own nation as we are here, before
their rulers were corrupted by the European and Ameri-
can people f I say how^ is it that governn>ent has no feel- J
ing sense of the negro's misery; that they will not eves
give privilege to such masters and mistresses on v/hom
just freedom has made his just demands, andAvho would :
be willing to do as God has commanded them, bv doing
to all other men as they would be willing that men* should
do to them in every point of justice f Perhaps the legis-
lators in vv'hose hands this feeling power ought to be for i
their y/n safety, have been partakers cl the great and un-
just gain, made by s mar.y mdividuals in keeping free-
dom from his just right ; tbo' as unjust as any robb.ry,it' ;
has made them rich and filled them "with still greater de-
sires tc obtain more of the things of thits, world ; (whick
they must shordy leav^.) la their laxurious -and wantoa
living, they must have lost all feeling sense of the mise-
ries of the poor injured black people, who are not in as
much favour with th«ir lordly masters as their dogs, al-
though it is by their labour that both the master and hi<j
dogs are fed. Yec?, akho' the^ ^ries and blood of these
aiflicted creatures are going up to heaven f r their relief^
yet the masters seena not to feel iy but there is a Iday has-,
tening on, and wilt come in tijiie or iil- eternity, to make '
fthese oppressive iiiasters arrd mistresses feel the weight ^
of the miseries the}' compel those injured creatures to un-
dergo, by the authority a barbarous law has given them
— although It may go under the" name dFa christian law,
-jf it is christian i,t must b^ an antichristian one, which j
pro'essefh God in wr^ids'^^t^t in works denieth him and
his authori'y ; for G- d ha^s^o.nfnarded all men to do lo
others as 'they voiId1i.\e ctheT, c'c to them. But the
hw^ of Gicn will nox allow masters this iibcrtv. v/ithout

C 65 )

endengering their little living by givingbond and perhaps
security, for the jgood behaviour of othermen, which the
Almighty does not require atour hands, for it is enough
with God for a man to be bound for himself and his owja
good behavior, and- not for another.

Now ye masters and mistresses, let me put the question
close to you — are these captivated creatures whom yoM
flealthusby, of the human family or of the brute crea-
tion ? If you sav they are not of the human family, but
are a kind of beasts made only to be slaves to men ; even
if this was true, let me tell you in the name of my God,
that the very beasts of tht field are entitled to justios ; and
that all who have any in their possession, & do not justke
;to them, are not worthy to be their ^ owners ; and all in-
justice he or she do to the beasts, which God has put un-
der their care, will be obliged to give him an account ;
for he has given all his creatures who have life, breath
and being an equal right to justice, they cannot plead theiy
own cause,nor employ any one in their defence, for this
reason all who violate their rights by barbarcirs usage, arc
enemies to God as long as they remain in that unmerciful
practice, altho' they may desire to be called christii^ns.— ~
But if you say that they are part of the human family-^-
that they are men and women^-that they i\av^ souls" whkh
ican be saved by*' grace, or lost by rebellion against God's
"^saving "hand and arm, which he of his mercy lias and wiih
stretch over all this world— ^ai^id that the Lord is'feo re-
specter of persons; I desire to know in what way you
think to be reconciled to God after you have been guilty
;of robbing and defrauding so many of his creatures of their
just right, given of God by his free goodness as an ever-
lasting inheritance to all mankind ; and that they should
enjov this precious gift without iriterruptioji, God made
and placed the law of justice in the hearts of everV^ man.
capable of reason and understanding, so that they should
all be acquainted w^ith it ; for God saw that if he placed
it anv where else, some men might be deprived of the
knowledge of it, for the want of which they might have
committed deeds of injustice, and at the day of judgment
plead ignorance, God knowing that it would be a good
■excuse, and that the just judge could not turn it away,
imt all such unjust deeds go unpunished j td prevent ihla^-

Gocl placed it in that sure place where all men, of what-
ever cbloiir of Ration, might come to the knowledge of it,
and lest men should neglect the keeping of this blessed li
law, the Lord has informed us by the mouth of his'son
Jesus, that we should do to all men, as v.'e would have mea
to do unto 'us. 1 hereby ask you who justify the buying^..
/selling;, and keeping negroes in sUvery, to be sold agam
at pleasure, like horses and cattle, or any other dumb
beasts, whether you are entirely ignorant of the law ©f
justice, or whether you have any knowledge of it ? If
you are entireh" ignorant, the Lord may show j^ou some
mercy ; but if y©u have the knowledge of it, whence caa
you expect any mercy, having no regard to the command-
ipents of God ? Do you fttd your negroes as well as you.
would wish to be fed, if you were under them, as they are
under you — do you clothe them as well as you would
whh to be clothed — do you lay no more hard laljour on
them than you would be willing that they should lav oa
you — are you as merciful to them as you would be williisg
they should be to you — do you give them who have wive«
the same privilege of enjoying each other's company, as
you would be willing; to enjoy — would you be willing to
be sold and taken away from your wives _arjd children, '
where vou could not see them any more — in a word, are ^
tvllling that God should overturn the state of things, and
place you in the negro's condition and the negroes in
vourt>wn i" As some of. you 'hav^ sai^ that the negroes
were better off than their niastcrs, why do vou not change
situation with them, and make a bargain with your slaves
to give them up the great house v;ith all its voluptuous-
Eess, and you take their kitchen with all its mean and de-
graded furniture, such as you afford them for all their la-
bours on which you live so voluptuously ? Stop and pause
a little, thetj you will be better able to judge whether yea
have done as you would be willing to be done by — but I
am ready to conclude you are not willing that a change
should take place, by which you might be dcaled with as
you deal to those you hold as slaves under you*

Bat why are you not willing, when so many of you to
justify yourselves say the negroes are better off than their
masters, for they have no care in providing, and nothing
to da bat what they are ©rdered ? there must lis s»me rea*

( 65 )

tons, and'I could teh you most of ihem, but I forbare ;
because the kings ot the earth would lathtr keep their king-
ly stations than to give them up, and become as their own
subjects. Let me teil you all \n iio say that the r.egro
slave is better oiTinan his master, to go and enquire of
those men who were captive to the Algerines until they
were ransomed and set free, whether they would chuse
to be the slave or the master ? it may b^ that you can get the
ri"-ht answer from those who have experienced both irce-
domand slavery, if I could believe that the negro hul-
ders were intirely ignorant of the law of justice, I might
not have been lead to write this, but I candidly believe
they are not ignorant ; for in my observation I have seen
men resent the least injustice done to them, although they
themseWes were practising all injustices that lay m their
power, to such as fell in their hands, which plainly de-
monstrates to me that God has given the unjust a mea-
sure of the law of justice, which law being placed in the
unjust himself, he is bro't. to know what is just and what
is unjust J but those who vhave no knowledge of good
and evil, cannot transgress nor resent any injustice done
to them, for where there is no law there cannot be any
law-breakers ; but where there is a just law, all who are
under that government are to pay true obedience to it,
arid all those who break it, (if found out) must suffer the
penalty thereof. As the law of justice is of God himself,
lie knoweth in whose hearts he hath placed it — by what
means they came to the knowledge of it — who payeth any
regard to it — w^ho knowingly breaks it, for God will have
a witness in every one, who will declare the truth in be-
half of the obedient, and against the disobedient breakers
of his commandments ; to the obedient this witness will
give evidence in truth, so that the great judge of both th^
quick and the dead will justify and clear them from all
penalties ; bat to the disobedient the evidcuee will be a-
gainst them as law-breakers, for coveting the lalx^ur of o-
thers without making just compensation for it ; yea, this
evidence v^ili be so plain in truths that the accused will not
have power to plead inn(^cence, or to say that he or s-he
is not guilty, for they will know themselves guilty, on
whamthe just judge will pass sentence of condemnation

( 6C )

-—for what O man ! thou knowest drcadv ; th|s witnea*-.

having at .undry cimes told thee, that thou did not do as-
them would oe willing to be done by in many cases.

Kemember that all just weights and bailanccs are the
JLord s, and that it Js ms delight for all men to keep them •
bui a iatse weight and baliance is abomination, in hi.i si^htV
VVjiere IS your just weight when you teil a lie to v^ur
neighbour or any stranger, in order to get the best^nd
oi the bargain (as you call itj in buymg, selling, swapin^
or caang.ng any thing, r God's v^itness knows that thou
art the maa or woman, and you cannot deny it. Remem-
ber how many lies and oaths you have falsely swo-ra; they
must be iaise because you knew otherwise than what you
saiaor 3-wore, at the very moment you spoke them. Are
you not guilty of this and much more Twhich my God
v/iH make you bear witness against yourselves to your con-
clemnaiion, unless you repent. and leave off all such wick->
ed practices before the d,w of God's mercy is over with
you, who know yourselves guilty of breaking God's law-^
in any way. Is itnot written that '" cursed is the mar
wuo partcih man and wife ;" how. many men and their
w*ves have been parted by the slave holders ? and is it noi-
said,^ - What God hath joined together, let no man put
asunder,.' Now God is love, and love hath joined man
and v/oman together by making covenants and vows in pri^
vate as well as in puWic, both of white and black people -
but bow many black men and tlieir wives have been torn
asunder, ?.nd sold far fr<l'm each others, whose griefs-
sighingsand mournings will rise against you at the day of
judgment, and cause you to be condemned fcrthe hard-
ness of your hearts.. Did you not see their partinjr tears
and hear their mournful cries-^how could you bear this
tobe aoneto you and your wives?, vet some of you have
doneitand^een it.done.. Is . this keeping GodV com^
mandnGents or breaking th^m ? Why do you go to meet-
ing unaer the pretence, of v/or.Hhiping God? h will be
iioprailt tQ.you.tocall him> Lard,, and not, da the
th?n3> he has commanded yoii ; yet yoa are willing to be
called christians, allb>i.gh you art-guilty of heathenish
deeds, out the iDare.nume of .beins^ a chrkitlan will profit
K^T^S^-i^*'^''''^^'''''^^^ ,H^ ei.d af^nme..guiltT,of

dd as yott" please, I compel none, but am desirous tliait^ail
who have broke God's commandments, should believe^
repent and be saved from all eviU

CHAPTER IV.

The danger vf bad Cotmseh

Mt dear children and fellow-creatures, I must sKortlir
leave you all to rt turn to that earth, of the dust of which
I was made, congealed together into a little body, and by
the wise power of God formed in my mother's womb in-
to a body, in which it pleased him to put a spirit, who
hath experienced the love and peace of God in keeping
his commandments, and the great sorrow and grief, which
comes on all v/ ho are brought tcsee their ingratitude to-
wards so kind and merciful a God, b)?^ breaking his com-"-
mandments ; for what a sorrow and distress it is to those
who are awakened to a true sense of God^s loving kind-
ness, in his great and good providence to us poor unwor-
thy creatures j I say when we are brought to the sight of
his merciful providence, and of our ingratitude, unthank«
fulness, and sinfulness in breaking so good a God's com*
mandments, who can live and be carekss and unconcern-
ed for his transgressions, after he is brought to be truly sen-
3ible of God's goodness, and of his or her own ingrati-
tude — where is the man or woman truly made sensible of
their own sinful ways, that can shun the heavy stroke of:
conviction, v/hich brings the sorrow and grief of a broken-
heart? if there is anyone at ease at the above sight, he
must either have been . healed of his wound by the grace
of God, or else he must remain under the heavy stroJke of"
condemnation, where there cannot be any ease or pleasure
to his mind, before he repents and returns to that gracious
God, with.a.tnie acknowledgipent of hfs transgressions^
• — with a humble heart, begging the Lord's merciful for-
giveness^lv/hich h&must receive from him before his soul
can rest in Christ, or; ba a . true christian.

My dear children and oth^rg^; be you aware of bad"^;
CGiinsei," and try to shun it h,j. turning yourselves ^^^yz
froinJt, f©r. there-is- iK>tbi*?.g^©,cksiigtireua.: .the YipzTj tk*^--

( 68 )

rattle-snalce and many othtr berpents are dangerous, «iict
mostly all people are atraid to be bit by them, because
their bites are poisonous, and will kill those bit by them
if the poison is not soon expelled b) the application of
medicine ; but ^d counsel is more dangerous than the
bite of all these ; for h does not only kill the bodies of
those who are bit by it, but their souls also ; it was by it
that our first parents transgressed, and by which we must
all die and return to the dnsi we >vere taken from. It was
by thatserpent, which I call had counsel, tnatourfiTstparents
▼'ere bit, v»hile in the garden of God, in whose bovvels
we all lay as an innocetit seed ; yet by their being both
bit, one by the council of the serpent, and the other by
the counsel of our mother Kve, they were both poisoned^
and we were all affected as to our bodies ; this is not all
the danger, for munkjndhave two lives, one.. of the body
which is visible, the other of the soul which is invisible,
and will live in the eternal world with Christ, in the king-
dom of heaven, if it is not poisoned by the bite of bad
«ounsel ; for all souls bit and poisoned by it cannot live
to ^et to heaven, unless it is expelled from the soul by
tile immediate application of the spiritual blood of Christ.
This fiery serpent will try to bite every soul of men, who
have any desire to leave spiritual Egypt to go to the ho-
13^ land, where they may be happy — this is the sei'pent
who killed all that are lost, and have fallen short of en-
tering the kingdom of God's rest and peace ; there is no-
thing else can poison the soul and bring it to eternal death,
where it is separated from the life and hapj)iness of the
children of God, but bad counsel ; tliis you will all find
true in time or in eternity. As you may wish to know
how to shun this flanp^erous being, I will tell you by making
sim.ple comparisons, that vou mar gatfer v^isdom out of
it for your preservation ; but as it is sirrsple, he v are that
j-o\i do not despise it, least m isdom shouki forsake your
understanding, &be left ia the same danger 3'cu have been
in ; but I pvay yon to beg that p»)re wisdom which comes
from on high to stav with vou, to direct your understand'
ing until you hear my simple comparisons, for out of sim-
pli' ity God can and will brinf^ \visdom, and thcr^ is no-
thing so. vve-ik hvvt what he can gi\v and bring strength out
#fitj therefore i gray- you to liatteatiye*.

C 69 )

You have heard that snakes can charm hirds so strong-
ly, that they will iiring them to such a cVeUision, that they
cannot get away from them, but at Ust fall into their
mouths and become a prey to the snakes. Even so it is
with bad counsel, he seems to have po vver to charm, and
when he nxes his charming eyes on us, and we feel him
begin to draw our attention towards him, if we do not
immediately strive by refusing to obey him, and cry out
in prayer for the help of the Lord, grace or spirit to save
us like Peter of old, when he left the shift to walk on the
water to go to Jesus ; but when he saw the sea and wind
so boisterous, his faith whi9h had given him power ta
walk on the water began to fail, and when he found him-
^self sinking, he saw that he could not save himself with-
out the help of Jesus ; therefor - he cried out saying *' Lord
sav^ne," and Jesu?5 hearing his cry, immediately stretch-
ad Forth his hand and caught Peter, and saved hina
from his danger. Remember that God's gr^vce is all-suf-
ficient to save to the utmost, and that there is a promise
given, ^^e believe from God, who will not nor caimot
lie) that whosoever calls on the name of the Lord in the
day of his mercy shall be saved. So when any of you.
fe;;! his drawing charms, in any case whatever, make
some impression on your mind or de«;ire, then is your
danger ; therefore at such trying times you ought to draw-
nigh to the Lord, whois willing and able to save all wha
will call on him — there is no other to be called on for
kelp, but the Lord maker of heaven and earth, who is n*
respecter of persons, but all who truly call on him and'
are desirous of his helping hand, to them he will give his
aid, be they of what colour or nation whatsoever — with-
:#ut him there is no saviour, and whosoever is saved from'
%he dangerous charms and bites of bad counsel, is saved
by his helping hand like Peter v/as ; and this is the only
way we can take to shun and get clear of it.

You also may want to know what bad counsel is ;— -it
is all kind of advices and persuadings, offered to yoia
either externally or internally, to draw you into evil by
persuading you to break any of God*s commandments,
©r to do any thing that you know you ought not to do, or
to depart from the path of righteousness ; and least any
•f yQii sh©;ald. forget this path, aad be iati&sd t^ vr^lh'im-

(70 )

the path of sin, I will describe the path or main-road tc
righteousness :— rit is the Lord's described path, which
he hath opened to the kingdom of heaven, that all the,
righteous may travel in it with the greatest safety, and
thus he describes it to be himself, for he says, that him-
self is the way, th^ truth and the life, and that there ie
no other way by which m.en can get to heaven, except by
walking in the light of this path, which God the father has
prepared for jail the righteous to walk in by Christ the
Lord, to the lafid of true rest and peace The brighl-l
light of this path is that which enlighteneth every one
coming into the world, and it is by it that mankind are
brought to know good from evil. Perhaps you may ask
me how you are to know when you are m this path of
safety which leads to heav.en, and how you are to know ,
when you are draM'n off from it ? I his is as easily knov/H'
as it is to know day from night, or which is the swceiest,
honey in the comb, or the strongest juice of rue, worm-
wood or the gall of a beef's liver ; I suppose anyrone after
having tasted of each sort, would at a word^ay that-
the honey was the sweetest. All who do not knov/ when
they are in the path of righteousness, may be assured
that their way of life does not please the Lord, and th^.tc
the way they have been traveiling^does not lead to hesven ,
for no one can walk in that holy path and nt)t know it, bu£
they who do, keep God's commsmdments, and in doing
so they must love him, for which God the father and
Christ his son love them, and make themselves manifest,
which manifestation renews their love to Christ in such a
manner thatit is mexpressible ; this cannot be enjoyed and
be .unknown, aiid they who know not these enjoyments,
are in constant jeopardy of falling from their path of sin,
into everlasting ruin. I pray all who m^y read or hear
these truths, which God has given me to write to them,
I say, I pray them to awake to a solemn consideration^
^nd pray to the God of heaven who is the giver of all
good, that it would please him to open their eyes, that
they might see themseh'^s just as they are, for a man
must first see his danger hefore he will seek to be deliver-
e<l from it ; there are thousands in the greatest danger,
but they will not believe it, for they see others who
profess to be c:irls;iatis, walking in the same path of si»

( 71 )

tliey do themselves, therefore they will not believe ther-e
is d;inger until it may be too late ; but on a dying bed they
-often begin to be ahirmed, and cry to him they have de-
spised, even the Lord, who before they woald not believe,
receive nor obey.

' That you may all know the path of righteousness, I
%iU hear describe it : — It is paved all over with love and
peace with both God and men, and with all things that
fiavl; a sense of feeling, life, breath, and a being on all
tlie face of the earth ; also, with equity, justice and truth,
and all who travel in this path are innocent and inoffen-
sive — they are iiiled with a great hunger and thirst for
righteousness, and a -constant prayer to God, that it
would please him of his love and mercy, to pardon them
for all their past misstepsin the path of sin— they are Ijke
the returning ptodigal mentioned in the scriptures,
for altho' he had sately returned and got to his father's
house, from which he had to his own distress strayed, yet
fiehunbjy ; ontessed his unworthiness, and begged not
for the ^ighe^st seat, but a ly to be made as one of his
father*s hired servants ; for although Wis father forgave
him his transgression in w^asting the goods he had'givea
liim, and that with harlots in the way of rioting and in-
considerate living, like many in these days, who spend
much of the good ti^nepf God in a v.icked life, until the
first portion of innocence^js spent, like the prodigal's. I
« \y, although the fat-\er h^d forgiven him, and caused the
fattened calf to be kiUed, that there might be a rejoicing
feast of great,.gladness, yet ihe poor prodigal could riot
forget his jwnunworthiness, bui mustv acknowledge and
^confess his naistonduct in d nng as he had done. So it is
with ail those .v ho have returned t;> the house of the Lord
their God, by v/aU:iug inthe path of. righteousness, which
th^ Lord has f-ast up for thojie who are weary of sirr, and
brought to abhor iniquity ; for although these hive re-
turned, and are made partakers of the joyfid meeting—-
of the presence of the Father and his lovely son Christ,
whos.^ girments are now o be put on ^hem, as tht^. best
robe for their accepianc.^'ffmorigst the children of God ; yet
■ths thought of their p^st lives, iu wastiig so m ichofthat
precious ume. whkh God had given them for good pur-
■foaes, ia sttch a manaer as thev knew- they had with the

( 72')

•wiclfea and ungocll}^, humbles their iTiinds, although the^
knov'.- that God has ibrgiven thenr,- by the iove he hai
manifested t<» themin their return to him ; yet it is natu-
ral, or in other wcjrds grateful in them to praj his pardor:.
and that it would please him to make them pure in heart as
lie is pure, and holy as he is holy: — that it would please
him to deliver them from all evils, both in words and deeds*
As they travel on in this wry or path of ri^^hteousmss,>
they are made sensible of God's love and goodness inhi^
kind provideB^, for the many things of this life ; liut
above all they admire his lov^e in sending his soa Christ*
to save us from the evils of this world, and from the p^un-
ishment due thereto. But to bring you to the true^knov/-
ledge of the son of God, you must be brought oilfroniaU
things that are, or have been visible ; fur they are not of
the son of God, but of the creating, making or preparing
work of my God. Be not astonished at this, for 1 know
thatnot onl\the world, but thousands and tens of thousands
of professors, do believe that the body named Jesus — bora,
of the Virgin Mary, and suffered death on the cross at
Calvary, w as the son of God ; but let me tell you all, that
this body was of the visible things of this earth, and that
it did not come down from God out of heaven ; therefore
it could not possibly be the son of God, b\it it was in truik
the son of the Virgin Mary, whom God by his wisdom
prepared in her womb — of her own seed, without the seed
of man ; for if it had been of the seed of man, it might
have been too UTiclean for the purpose God intended it ;
biit being of the Virgin's seed he made it ready asi a house
or temple for his son to come in, and w herein he might
do his will, therefore this bodv being composed of bloocj^.,
.fiesh and bones, begot of the Virgin's seed, without tlie
interm.ixtureof the seed of man, w^as but a visible bodf
into whom tlVesnirit sent down from God out of heaven,
entered and became the Son of God, and he alone is the
saviourofall who are saved — -there is noother beside him
— he is called the bread of life, and all who eat thereof
'vviil live forever. But to return to tlie place where I said,
that above all things we admire Ijis love m sending his son
Christ to snve us from the evils of this world, and the
punishment due thereto ; — being made sensible of these
great favours, our hearts are fiWed with love and joy un-

bpcakable, ef which the world knoweth nethiti]^— •ut
liearts are made truly humble and thankful for every
thing we enjoy in this life, which are too many for me to
€nume'a e — also for that precious gift of faith and true
iiope anchored in Christ, which gives us confidence by his
manifestation and the overflowing of his love, that when it
shall please him (the father of all mercies) to call us
©ut of time into eternity, he will give us eternal rest in
the kingdom of heaven.

Is it possible that any man or woman's spirit can
walk in the forementioned path and not know it ? No
there never was any, young nor old that were truly travel-
ling this path, but were made sensible of it ; if nothing
else would, they could know it by the* glory of the Lord
appearing to them, and covering them oil over as the wa-
ters coyer the face of the great deep. But all who are
strangers to^ this path, and cannot witness the truth o
riaese my savings, are either dead or have their dwellings
inspiritusd Egypt, and are in daily danger of an eternal
overthrow. Havinfij now given you my dear children
and others, a short description of the path of righteous-
ness, I desire you to walk therein ; far it leads to heaven,
where all the righteous are brethren, let their bodily skin
be of what colour it may ; they are all lovers of God and
iind of each — other they are and will be of one spirit in
Christ their Lord.

When you hear the Lord's precious voice, persuading
you to turn to his holy path by leaving your sins, do not
harden your hearts by turning away from his Sweet coun-
sel, and say that you cannot yet, but will some other time
when you have done this thing or that, or when you have
a better opportunity ; this will be found dangerous, as it
ariseth from the charms cf bad counsel, for if you do not
listen to the voice of the bad counsellor, you will not de-
ny the Lord, neither will you refuse his righteous coun-
sel — when he calleth, you will follow him in the wa) of
goodness, and immediately forsake all your sinful wavs,
jfike the sons of Zebedee when Christ called them ; at his
©all you wdl forsake all, take up }'Our crc^ss and fellow
him. But the bad counsellor tells you thit you are not
ready yet, and tha^it is lime enOHgh, that it wili suit y^u,

G

( 74 )

ana your business much better at a future day ; this gen^
erally "happens when young people are cjilled of the L^rd,
and are made sens be by his merciful visitation, that a
righteous life woidd be the best for them to live in. I
say, at those times of God's mercy they would immedi-
ately leave all and follow 'the counsel of the Lord, if it
were not for listeiiing lo the charms of bad counsel, which
makes them think that they cannot t«ke up that cross of
going into a sober righteous life, until they get m >rned..
Some of the young people return this answer to th • Lord,
that if he will spare them until they gtt married, then they
will enter into a sober righteous hfe ; and until then the
bad counsellor makes them think, that they cannot so well
leave their wild and rude company, l^hi^e as they were
in the world before they had these exercisi: g thougnr..,
about the necessity of an alteration of life, yet by their
refusing to take up their cross, the Lord leaves them ia
the world as he first found them ; but sometim.es his mer-
cy spares them until they are married, and at their owa
appointed time the Lord calls on them again, and p-ts
them in mind of their promises — that he had spared them
until they h id accomplished the thing they desired to do,
before thty were ready to follow him ; but the bad coun-
sellor tells them that it is not yet convenient, for they^
must buy a tract of land and pay far it, or b- ild a house
to live in, or to accomplish something or other, before
they can take up heir cross and follow Christ into a so-
ber and righteous life ; ?nd as they refuse his good offers,
he may very justly leave th^im to follow their own desires,
wherein they most assuredl}- will fall a prey to the bad
cojinsellor.

Havinc»- given you a description of the path of righteous-
ness, I will describe the bad counsellor, from whence all
bad actions spring: — It is a spirit which the m)rtal eye
cannot see, yet the- righte«-us can see his works and under-
siai.d his ways ; there fon- they know ho v to shun h spaths.
He works !>uth in ernally. and externally :— in his exter-
nal work he bring orth a n^ altitude of evils, by his cap-',
tivate' instruments c?\"^d men and women — but his in-'
tevT^al mischirf IS 'icne in the minrls of men, by bringing;
evil thoun; - i'.tQrheir minds, which iire obeyed by those !
who forsake the iustruction of the good counsellor, by do-.|

f 73 )

, ing which they are bit and poisoned, or in other words
:are affected with that sinful disease, which will kill them,
unless they do immediaiely apply for that healing medi-
cine, v:hich none but Christ can administer to them, for
amongst all the doctors in this world this medicine is not
to be found, but if any are desirous of being healed, they
mast seek him whom they turned away when he offered
himself t» be their Saviour ; this will make them remem-
ber what had past, in and at the time he tried to persuade
them to forsake their bad ways; yea, it will make them,
remember how foolish they were when they told so good
a friend, that they could not enter into covenant with him
lintil they were married, ^ot land or hoiises, or some other
thing the bad counsellor h;:id persuaded them they wanted,
before they could be ready to follow Christ into a righte-
' 4\xs and sober life, as his light had made manifest that it
#ould be best for them to do. Yea, when they find the
i^ery they are come into, for the want of this precious
h':'viling medicine, preserved by Christ for his own minis-
tration to his followers ; how will these poor poisoned
! creatures feel, when they see that there is no help but in
hi;n whose counsel they forsook, for the sake of getting
a wife, a piece of land or some other thing ; and when
tliey are brought to remember how many times he had.
.led on them to forsaKc ihcir cvii wavs, huu LuCCIHt-
righteons and sober, will not the thoughts of their past
bad connuct break their hearts ? Necessity will then
compel them ^o go and seek the mercy of the Lord they
'- -I so long neirlected, praying to him to apply his heal-
I 1.15 blaod to theii souls. But how many discouracring
!' thoughts must they encounter, and how m-aiiv diincriities
V U b:id counsel throw in their way, - by upbraiding them
i, w^ith their miserable sins, and telling tliem that God will
not have any mercy on them, having so often forsaken his
good counsel — what can these poor creatures do ? for if
they do not seek and obtain Christ's healing medicine,
i they must die an eternal death. How will they be cast
I down when their eyes are opened, aiifl see to what a state
bad counsel has brought them when thev remember the
good olfers of the Lord, to bring them to a righteous life
j— 'ivill it not break their hearts and forj^et the pleasure of
fWwife, or of any other thing of this sinful world ? AU-

( 76 >

they will then want will be to be forgiven for their past;
sins — be made holy and pure in he^rt, by which tbey
may be brought to see God and have their souls healed.
In order to obtain this great favour, they must send a
messenger to the Lord, to intreat a return of his holy
light — acknowledging their transgression, witb a humble''
petition praying his forgiveness for their past sins, and
that it would please him to preserve them hereafter from
all sins ; but often this messenger is not successful at first,.
and must be sent again several times, during which the
bad counsellor will try his utmost tQ discourage y«u from
seeking God's favour, telling you that it is only stripping
yourselves of all pleasures of life, and above all people
making yourselves miserable ; therefore you might as-
well quit sending to intreat God's favour, as your sins
have been so great by doing many things vou knew you
•ught not to have done, and left undone what you ought
to have done, that your sins are not the sins of ignorance^
which God had winked at and by repenting of them he
hath promised to forgive ; but thy sins are the sins of
knowledge and presumption, and they have been so hei-
nous that God will not forgive them ; therefore it will be
as well to cease petitioning to him, for instead of getting
better you get worse — take my advice, eat, drink and be
merry — here is all the pleasure you can have — for if God'
would have mercy, he would have showed it to you be-
fore to-da}^ This is a snare of the bad counsellor indeed ;
O ! resist all his temptations, and cry the more earnest,
to the Lord, who will in his own good time deliver you
out of all your distress, by giving you his precious spirit
to overcome the devil, and to heal all your wounds which
have become so painful by the memory of your past sins^
But if he cannot prevail in tempting you to turn to youF i
old sins, like the dog to his vomit, or the sow to the wal-
lowing in her mire again, he will try to make your sin^.
appear so unpardonable, that if possible he will draw you
into the path of desperation, and by that means overthrov
3-ou like he has many before, who to get rid of so trou-.j
blesorae and distressed minds, have made way with them- t
selves ; this is bad counsel on every hand, for if one will :
not prevail in keeping you from drawing nij^h to Christ,^^
Jie will try another. But if- you want to see and enjoy i;

(, -77 )

Gocl's love and enter his hcaveniy kiT>gdarr», } ^ " " •
resist ali S|^ch t\*mptations, for they are the snare..
d*ivil, whicli we are commanded to rtsist ; an,ditv
he and all his bad counsels will flee away — ^but if we oDey
he vviii at last do^^roy us.

I pray you all to be on your guard, and resist temptation
to the ^utmost of your power — do not fail at such trying

* tim^ to send the messenger of prayer to the Lord, with
all possible speed, praying him to come and deliver you

> from all evil — as this messenger draws nigh to the I?iord*
the Lord will draw nigh to you In his own good time,
when he comes, your adversary (tho' ever so crafty) will
fly away, and the Lord wiil comfort and bring you home

^ to his lovely fold of. righteousness, where there will be
more joy over you than over those who never went astray f
these are the innocent babes who never came to the know*
ledge of the law of God in this world, for as God had not
given it to them, but took them away in innocence, thcv
could not go astray.

Having given you a short sketch of the dangers of bpd
counsel, and from whence it Com^s, I will endeavour to
draw to a close, by telling you that it may be known only
by our watching over the motions and thoughts of our
minds, for every thought which presuadesor draws us to
eat of the forbidden fruit, forbidden by God in this gos*

, pel day, is of the bad counsellor. This evil fruit is ail
kinds of evil, forbidden by the righteous Lord>,_ but bro't
©n by the devil; and as soon as discovered by us, we
©ught to cry to the Lord to deliver us from ihe evil which
has presented itself to our view,, and from all we mr-y be.
tempted to by bad thoughts, for it is the seed sowed by
the baa counsellor in the early part of man's days, and has
sprung up and grown into so large a tree of evil, jhat its
branches have spread over all the nations of the earth ;
and no country in this v/orld is exempted from it excent

^. the holy land, where it cannot ^row, nor any of its poi-

^ sonous fruits can be known. It anyVould vvish lo he in-
habitants of God's holy land, they must Torsak^ jdl the
seeds of bad counsel, or they cannot enter therein ; for
fi-xom this seed, (which I call bad t!toughts)^^omes all the
sins and evils that man and woman were ever guilty of in

G 2

( 7^ )

this world—this seed has brought into this" world all tire
wars and biood-shed that ever was, since the time that
Cain killed his brother Abel to this day, for^f this seed
had not been sowed and received by mankind from the
hand of the sower, (who is the devil) >his world would
have been in love and peace withe^ich other to thU day —
neither would there have been any evils on earth— all man-
kind would have continued in the image of God w erein
they were created ; but this corrupting seed was first sow-
ed whilst man slept in inito ence, by the enen^y of God
into his field, (which is this world, or the; hearts of men
women and children) into v/hich God first sowed his
good seed, and wherein if no other seed had been receiv-
ed, there never would have been any evil deeds commit-
ted on earth. O lamentable ! and above all things to be
lamented ! that ever mankind should give place for the
seed of the enemy of God to grow in them, which has
brought forth so much tares or wickedness, which the de-
vil, (God and man's enemy) has been sowing into thfcir
hearts, and from v;hich all evils sprung from : — such as
wars and blood5hed — evil words and deeds-^.dl injustice
——yea, even the evil of defrauding men of their freedom,
v/h'ch God hath given to all men under his gospel dispen-
sation, for an everlasting inheritance from generation to
generation, as long as men are on earth. But how unfor-
tunate it is, that men should he so corrupted bv this wick-
ed seed, that instead of doing justice to all mankind, they
have turned to the worst of all injustice, by making one
the slave of another — by the deceiving of the deceiver,
th^y justify themselves ig buying, selling and keeping ihcir
brother a slave as if he was an ox or an ass, or as if God
had made them of some inferior earth, lo be doomed to :
bear all the injuries the worst oppressors were capable of
infiictiftgon them. Look at their unmerciful whippings.
— ^look at their blood trickling from their necks to their
heels, staining the groanj;J, who o eneth her mouth td
receive it, and to keep it until God sends out his reapers,,
with orders to gather up all the tares,, and hind them in..
bimdles to be burned ; — then their blood who had been
as it were hid in the earth, shall rise and be brought into :
rem^m'^rance, to the condemnation ofall those v/hose hearts
were so hard, th^t they couid.not h^ar the prayers an4r

( 79 )

cries of their p(>or aftliaed Atrican brethren; whose
paius under th. hand of the cruel masur ur mistress (so
called) or the Wbarous overseer, by the cruel use of the
cow-sicin or hickory, which pams were two gr.at for nu<
wan aesh to bear, or for any man ot grace to hear.

Lo^k (undvoa will sec; how many sorts oi tormen^
they make use'of en .hose bound creatures, to gratify
their revenge— for what crimes are these afflictions laid
onihem? Whv, say they, they are 4asy and do not mind
^ hai IS told to them-titSy do not do the thir.gs they are
ordered to do-they are saucy and will tell hes-^areun-
dutiful in many .ases-^he fire was not made by day light
_ihev did not make haste in feedingthe stock, when they
were called they did not answer, and many such crimes ;
but the greatest is, the dog (or rascal) had^liberty^to go
andsee his wife, and did not mind my orders ; for she
did not live more than 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 miles' distance,
and 1 was sokindtothe dog, that I let him go once a .ponth,
and sometimes once a week, after he had donehisday s
^vork and fed my stock,, which did not take more than
one hour last Saturday night-he stayed all Sunday, altho
I ordered hhii to be home on Sunday night, but the damn-
ed rascal did not mind me, for he did not come home
until Moadav morning when the sun was up j nay,Uwa*
almost one or two hours high— but I will learn the dog
to mind me, and he at home ready to go to work, by day
iio-ht, or , t the furthest by sun-rise. For these (so call-
edVRTeat transgressions, the poor bound creature^is tied
and stripped, to gratify the barbarous heart of an unmer-
dfiil master, mistress or cruel overseer, who have ears to
he,r, but their hearts are so hardened by the bad coun-
cilor that they cannot nor will not hear the prayers and.
cries for mercv, of the poor captivated creatures ; when
their eyes are 'flowing with t. .rs md their backs tncidmg
wiih blood, their oppressors can use bitter words without.

compassion. ,

Stop, and let us turn the scale— suppose that you who
are called masters, were to meet with the same misfor-
tune these poor Africans have— been taken from your na-
tive land'-carried l)y robbers /mto a foreign country, and
sold to a master who would deal with you as you deal with .
your uegroes, (so called) which injustice hath deuverect

( 80 J

into your hands ; and your masters were to dcprivte yfu
ofthecompanyofyourvvi.es all the vvetk, or a morjtht
and only get the liberty to go aid see th-^m on a Saturday
night — that by the love you had for them you should hup"-
panto stay over the time given you, one, two or three
hours, and for this you should be beaten in -such an un-
merciful manner, as some of you have beaten them ; .

how would you like it if it was your case? would you
think that your masters did unto you as they wc uld be
willing to b< done by? These and all other cruelties arise
from bad counsel, and will have their reward in time or
in eternity — ihis is the wickedness wiuch v dl not go un-
punished, whether it is done by the preacher or any of
his hearer ; for some preachers come under this desc'rip-
tion — they pretend to be christians, and |el] . v opiy that
thty must do justly, love mercy, and walk humble before.
God ; but they say one thing and do another — they say
we must do justice to all men, but they are far from do-
ing it themselves — they also say we must love and show-
mercy to our fellow creatures, but let us look at their
mercy when the blood is .rickling down their poor negro's
back, altho' the poor sufferer cries and prays for mercy.^
Let all such remember, that they who do not show mer-
cy, are to have judgment without mercy— as they couid
not show mercy until they satisfied th< ir outragous pas-
sions, in beating the poor negro who had fallen under their
power, by the scheme and advice of bad counsvl, Avhirh
came from the devil, or his wicked instrument *' man ;"
let m.e plainly tell all such preachers, thaithev are ni:be ter
tiianAhab's400talse prophets; o. in other words, no better
than the ministers of antichrist ; for Christ, the Lord
of heaven and earth and his ministerjr, bring forth the
fruits of love, mercy and justice, which are uot from the
seed ol Satjin's sowing. But the ministers v ho bring
forth such unjust and barbarous fruits, are he ministers
©f an antichrist, whose cruel practices gives such exam-
ples, that it is liovvoiider that so many of their hearers
are so cruel and hard hearted — it is the blind leading tne
blind, v,-hose eyes Scitan h.-^ih bliiujfrri by thr contrivance
©f bad counsel.

1 h>v'- been unexpectedly drawn ro write these tl ings»
•f which i Irdd no thoughts when i begun to write my ad-

( 81 )

vice to my children; but seeing the danger arising to
mankind by following bad counsel, I could not forbare to
write this as a caution against it. All I have now to say
is for you all to take notice that all bad words, such as
©ursing swearing, lieing, and all other evils come from
bad counsel, which I pray you all to shun m time, least
you should be undone forever.

CHAPTER V.

The safety of good Counsel*
HAVING described bad counsel, I will mention a lit-
tie about the safety of following good counsel, which
is necessary for us all to know. t ^i ^

Good counsel is from the Lord God of heaven whether
given internally or externally— it is for our salvation as
fcad counsel is for our destruction— God first sowed the
' seed thereof into the hearts of men, and there is no real
goodness in anything whatsoever, but comes from him.
By receiving and obeying the counsel of the Lord we are
saved and brought to enter into the kingdom of heaven ;
but he who rejecteth and refuseth to follow God s counsel
and dies so, will most asuredly fall short of entering hvs^
rest and peace in eternity ; therefore I pray 7^^/^^^
may read or hear this, to draw nigh to the God ot hea-
ven, the mighty and ^ood counsellor, who will give you
all safe counsel ; which if you will receive and faitntuUy
follow, will bring you all safe unto the king of heaven,
whilst your bodies are in time, and your souls into eter-
nal rest with Christ, when called to inherit eternity.

The internal good counsel is immediately from heaves,
the external is through the Lord's instrument, man, wo»
man or whatever it may please him to make use of, by
which instrument we are filled with the love of God tor
mankind's eternal happiness. But in this sweet and good
counsel, he sometimes reprove, yet when he reproves, he
at the same time gives us instruction, concerning the
way leading to life everlasting. All who receive and
obey good counsel are saved, by receiving the Lord Jes'os
Christ, who is the author of all good, man alone without
bam cannot give any good c#uns«l, altho' many people girct

. - ( 82 )

to their fellow-creatures what they suppose to be good
counsel, yet if it did not come into then; by tin- gift of
God, it is worse than no counsel, and dangerous to re-
ceive — there is none good but what comes from him who
is the Lord, from whom all goodness flow ; and ail per-
sons whose spirits aie not ruled and governed by Christ's
spirit, have no good in them, they therefore cannot give
it to another before they receive it from the Lord, by re-
penting and forsaking their sinlul ways ; they then may
be prepared to receive Christ and his saving power, by
which they are saved from their sins, and enabled to im-
part good counsel to others. By this you may knew that
ail external counsel coming from men or women, (unless
they are redeemed from the fruits of the flesh) are not fit
to be received ; for all who are offering counsel to ethers
and yet live in their own sins, be they of what sort they
may, whether it is in cursing, swearing, cheating, de-
frauding, extortion, adultery, whoredom, theft, or any
such things as pride, covetousness, or any thing. .contrnry
to the spirit of Christ ; I say, that you may knov/ that
their counsel is not of God, and if it is not of God, let no
one receive it least they be poisoned, for by this counsel
many thousands are destroyed.

When you hear any one offering counsel, let their pro-
fession be what it may, the first thing you can safely do,
is to draw nigh to the righteous Lord of heaven in prsyer
Rnd supplication, that it would please him ta reveal to
your understandings, by his immediate and secret coun-
sel, whether that counsel is from the Holy Ghost or from
the 'unholy ghost ; for all counsel is of the one or of the
other. Also, by the fruits these counsellors bear you
may know them, for the Holy Ghost cannot bring evil
fruits, neither can the unholy ghost bring good things'V
yet he may by his transformation bring the likeness of
good things, and bv this likeness thousands, I may say"
millions are decei\ ed and kept in their sins, instead of
being saved from them. This is, or ought to be a matter
of the greatest concern, to those who would wish to be
preserved from all evil, to know whether the coimsel of-
fered to diem is of the Holy Ghost, which is from God,
or of the unholy ghost ; for if it i8 of the Holy Ghost \t
h safe and ought to be heard and received by ail — this Is

for our present and eternal vvelt.jre ; bat if k is fVom the
unholy ghost, whctner oftered internully or rxiernally,
let it appear in what likeness it may* there is poison in it,
which ail mankind ought to shun, by drawing nigh to the
Lord's preserving power in prayer and supplication.

All who ojffur counsel and live under the government
and are governed by the unholy ghost, at best are only
thieves and robbers, who steal the good words of other
men and offer them as their own, in which they put their
poison ; for ail who offer counsel before Christ is with
them are scatterers, and instead of leading them they coun-
sel, in the way of peace and love with God and man, if
not with words, the/ will by their example of life lead
' them astray — instead of bringing these poor deceived ones
^ the kingdom of God, they are instrumental by- their
xample in bringfng them, towards the kingdom of the de-
. il. By the following signs you may know some of these
outward counsellors, whether they are of the Lord,, sent
in the iove of his spirit, with the gift of his sweet counsel,
to turn vou from the dangerous works of sin and trans-
gression to the grace of ' ^od, which doth and will te:'.ch
men to deny all ungodliness and the world's lusts, to live
righteously and godly in this present life ; when you hear
any one oflering counsel either by example or precept,
fxrst Itt your eyes be opened, and look at the fruits
they bear f-hemselves ; and if they bear the fruits of
true repentance fo *heir past sins — the fruits of God's
loving spirit, which are love to God above all things, and
to mankind as being God's creatures — joy in the Holy
Ghost, whic.i God hath sent to be our teacher, whose
counsel is safe for us to follow in the paths of peace, love
and goodnr-ss, and the like fruits of God's spirit are the
marks of a t»-ue christian ; for they who dwell in goodness
dwll in God, and God dwells in them ; therefore the
"counsel that proceed from such as bear and bring forth
the fruits of God's spirit, which are love, joy, peace,
^ goodness, faith, meeknes'i^ retnperance, with equity and
justice to and in all things that have feeling, life, breath
and being, whethtr it be man, beasts or creeping things j
for it is as natural for them who are christians, to do
justice to all things that are in their power, as it is for a
woman to love her first born son. All who bring forth

^Tiese fruits in reallity have rect ived God's counsel, wTvo
first gives it to his loUowers, to give it again to all who are
prepared to receive it ; it proceeds from that fountain,
the water whereof gives life to all who receive it.

I pray you all to be on your guard, least you be de-
ceived so far ^s to mistake the likeness of things for re-
alities, for if Satan can transform himself into the like-
ness of an angel of light, it is nothing strange for his fol-
lowers to bring the likeness of good counsel, or of right-
eous members of Christ ; for they are favoured with the
gift of seeing, hearing and of memory, by which they can
steal, as it were, the words of the righteous, and aftet
the likeness of good words to deceive (if it were possible)
the very elect of God ; but their words are only dead
"W'ords, and at best like the body of a dead man, who was
4ince active, lively and sociable, but now of no profit t«
any one, except it be to the worms or some ravenous
beasts. So it is with the words of those hypocritical sin-
ijers, who offer the words they have heard other men
speak, altho' the first speakers might have received those
words from the fountain of life, yet by being spoken by
such sinful and poUutted lips, they cannot be acceptable
to God, because they are offered by their own craft, with-
out the breathing of the Holy Ghost ; for if the Holy
Ghost dwelt in them they would bring holy fi-uits, such as
love, peace and good will towards the children of men^
with every just and equal things righteeusne;; brings forth,
amongst the sons and daughters of men. Therefore look
TTfi^n at all their other words in common conversation, ani
at the example they set to others ; for the good tree wiH
not bring evil fruits, neither can an evil tree bring fortk
good fruit ; and by the fruits which those who offer coun- ;
selbear, at other times they are to be known ; for it is
not all who say Lord ! Lord ! that are to enter the king-
dom of heaven, but only those who do the will of the God
©f heaven.

Remember, it is not all \v^ o come in sheep's clothing,
that are followers of Christ, but that some are ravenous
^wolves ; and Christ has said that they are known hy
their fruits, for men do not gather grapes off thorns,
neither figs off thistles ; therefore when you see those
couasell<?rs bring the fruits of the piercing thorn, of the

(85 )

thistle or of the bramble, be on your ^^n^rd, for a sware
is hiid there for the danger of your souls, and if such
counsel should be offered to you refuse it, least your
souls should be caught therein. By the folio wirij^ you
may also know them, for all who bear and bring forth the
fruits of the flesh, are not risen with Christ fronri the
^ead neither are they born again — neither have they tjkeia
up the full cross of Christ and followed him into the king-
dom of God — neither is their affections set in heaven^
where Christ is on the right hand of God ; but their affec-
tions are on the earth in the fruits of the flesh, which they
continue to bear. But these often feign themselves to be
righteous, which is one of the worst iof all sins, and shall
not go unpunished when they come to the judgment seat
of Christ — amongst their pretended righteousiiess they
bring forth the fruits of covetousness, wanting the bene-
fits of other men's labours v,'ithout making full compensa-
tion for wh?tt they receive in many cases — mind how they
V'ill try to get (as they say) the best end of the bargain,
and to accomplish this they will sometimes tell a little lie,

\ or a big one if it suits better in their view to get their c#-
vetmg ends answered. Is this doing to others as they
would others should do to them r But this isnoti-U, they
will get in raging anger, and sometimes curse and swear,
calling G(jd's na se in vain — commit adul ery and whore-
dom, some with black as well as with white women — these

I are thtir secret sins (as they think) but it is often found
ont, and is always known to God and their wicked, com-
panions, white or black — sometimes getting drunk-.— fdle
or lazy, yet they can eat freely of the bread of oih^r men^s
febour-— cl<jth themselves with the cloth or linen ^h ch

i comes by th-; sweat of other men's faces, but ref»jse to la-
bour with industry themselves, often hasty in passions,
and for small faults beat those under their power, f^-have
it done unmerci fully ; especial'y those poor captivated
cr i:.tures, they have got under their power bv the hajids
of injustice, and use them as tho' God had made them to
fee beaten and punished at their unmercifid will j justifv-
ing themselves in their cruel v. ickedness — ithev also justify
war and bloodshed and hold vith manslaughter, vwih ma-
ny oiher evils too Bitmerous to mention. Th«se are those

1il

( 86 )

Tffhe say Lord ! Lord ! but do not the will of Christy's
farther — these are those who will say Lord open to us,
for we have ate and drank in thy presence — have cast out
devils, and done many wonderful works in thy name ;
but Christ will tell them that he never knew them to live
in righteousness, and he will command them to depart,
because they ;\vere workers of iniquity — these are those
that are called wells without water — these are those that
Jude calls wandering stars, to whom is reserved the dark- ^
ness and blackness v/hich will be placed in the kingdom *
of the Beast, with all the false prophets. As these things
are and will be so, be you all aware of whom you receive
counsel ; and remember the words that say, be ye aware
of those who come to you in sheep's clothing, and at the
same time are ravenous wolves ; for all are not real
friends who seem to be friendly, neither are they all chris-
tians who are called by that blessed name. Therefore,
i pray you all again to be aware of bad counsel, and cleave
fast to good counsel, for all who love, obey and follow;
good counsel are followers of Christ j who will most as-
su e ;iy ring all his faithful followers safe to the kingdom
oi heaven, where love, peace and righteousness wilf meet
together, and where joy and gladness will be forever.— ■
But now 1 must leave you all to chuse for yourselves, like
Josh :'* of old, for I have set before you the wa} of peace)
anc! rig'^'tousness, which if you will chuse and follow, id
TV .> Liing -^n to eternal happiness. I h ve also set beror^j
yo. L dange'-ous ways of sin and transgression, which if|i
it is your choice to Fv>'iow against my will, it w^ili most ?/
puriidiy buiiQ you to confusion and death. jj

CHAPTER VL

Adi^ice to my sons^ concerning their d-ity m & married I'^Je,

MY d^ar sons, I pray you all to coRbider what your
duty i to wave's you wives and not do like many ofners
vbo i' r.-vt ih ir duty to arcls God and man— look at
Bu- h and 5 € how unhappy they live, and the miseries that
a ^^ oheti broap- t into their t \\ es in this life, for the
rant cf ft JUthluI duty bci. IJ discharged by ihe man a»

( s^ ). .

eadofhis family. Altho' his familyis small, and may
o.t contain in tlip- beginning more ihan himself and his
wife, yet there is a faithlul duty required of him ; the
first thing is to love and give thanks to CtocI for hi - kind
providence, in giving him a woman, who has now become
his wife, to be an help nare to lay in his bosom, and to
comfort him in the day^ of distress. O my sons i con-
sider on the greatness of Clod's love, and his kindness in
jiving us a loving helpmate for our glory and our desi-
rable delight, above every other creature on earth. i he
second step of duty is love and a single kindness to his
wife. B'lt perhaps some of you may want to know why
we should love and thank God first, for the pleasure we
obtain by the company of our wives ; my reason for think-
ing so is, because she is a single gift of God's kind provi-
dence of man's pleasure ami comfort in this life, and above
6ll other gifts of God ; for after he had made the eurth and
^11 the creatures thereon, and had, made man head and
gave him dorninion over them all, (which was a very
great thing indeed, to honor man so highly as to set him
over all the earthly things) yea, even the fowls of the air,
the fishes of the sea, and the beasts of the earth were all
put under man's power ; yet after Gc^d had given him all
these great riches, he saw thatthe comfort and happiness
of man's life w^s not fully compfete, becaitse there was
not an helpmate to be found amongst all the creatures to
keep him company, and in which he might take a glorious
delight — altho' God had made man king on earth, and
placed all under his power, yet he saw that there might be
an addition of riches yet added, by giving him a lovely
helpmate to keep him company in lonely hours ; therefore
God, for the love he had for his creature man, whom he
had created in his own image, was willing to bestow all
the riches that could be desired in this life, and he w^.b
pleased to give man an helpmate aid like unto himself, for
thcwoman was the likeness of man, being taken out of
the man ; but in order that man might love her the more.
It pleased God, and God saw it was best to make some
' little alteration in the form of her body from that of the
I man, that she might l»e distinguished from the man ; and
God made this alteration in the form of her body for the
single pleasure, deliglu and glory of man, by which she b

(88^

known and callcl a v/oman. For all these favours, I
think that every hasihand and every man on earth, is in
duty b Mind to love and thank God, who has given and
provided for ;n in all the lavVful pleasures in tiiis life ; for
all the iawf'd pleasures m.in enjoys, are the gift of God's
kind providence, and a non<rst thiese a woman is the great-
est and most sinj^ ilar of lil ; cliere is no other gift in man^s
likeness but the woman, whicti God of his free goodness
and love to his creature mm, has given him for his com-
p'inv and pleasure in this life, of 'vhica we are all born
and brought forch to eujoy-ill Uiosc^ la.\dul pleasures, until
it ple.ises God to c:ill all chose -vho do' faithfuliv discharge
their duty m tnis life, to tie everlastmg pleasure which
God has prepared for his folio -vers, into the kingdom of
heaven; ail who do not God's will nor discharge their
duty, shall not enjoy the h.^avenly pleasure and happi-
ness prepared for those who do discharge their duty in
this life to God and man, and to^vards all the creatures
put under man, for this is the will pf God, that we should
love hi n above all things,, and our fellow-creatures as our-
selves — t)r us to walk humbly bef:)re him — be merciful
and compiissionat-' to all things that have life, breath and
feeling, which have been put under our hands ; but above
all these things we are to love our dear wives and children,
•ur neighbours and fello.v-creatures, with the next love
afcer God, for, to be sure, we owe our first and greatest'
love unto God, who is the giyer of all real and lawful
pleasures in this life — our second love is to be bestowed
Gn our dear wives and children, our neighbours and all
our fellow-'^reatures — our third love is to be bestowed on
all the feeling things that have life, breath and being,
which God has put under our power and care.

You may now look, my sons, in what I have written^
and let it be to you as a glass, in which you may see whe-
ther you have discharged your first dutv, which you owe
to God for his precious gift of a wife for your comnanv ia
this life ; — if you have complied with the first duty, it
will be your delight and happiness to discharge the second,\
which you owe to your wife ; for if you love God vou
"vv'iU love your wife — in the first place, because she is the
gift of God to you — secondly, because she was given to
you f o r your pleasure and company, above all the other

gifts of God in this life, for no other of God*s creature^
vas lO sleep m man's bosom but his wife ; and she being
of one flesh with him, 'jnight lawfully couple together in
the marriage bed, b) wliich there may be a delightsome
increase oi children to become a people, for their glory in
their children's children to raise up a generation after
them, and that for the glory of God. As it is your duty
to love your wives, I pray you all to bring forth the frajts
oi love, which is tenderness and kindiicss, and never give
your wife or wives occasion to think otherwise of you ;
for many are drawn by the draft of bad counsel, to give
his wife room to be in fear of her husband being slack in
his duty towards her, and not only that, but that her hus-
band loves the company of some other won- an more than
her own. O my sons ! I pray you all to shun these dan-
gers, by- bringing forth the fruits of true love and kindness
to,your lawful wife or wives — do not be foolish in taking
delight in the company of any other woman on earth ;
neither praise any other for their beauty ; neither cast
your eyes too much towards them, least you be ensnared
by the secret counsel of the Devil ; neither travel in their
company alone by day nor by night, for there is n dange-
rous enemy laying in the way of such lonely travels, tho'
these travels may be begun through kindness, yet the
grand enemy of mankind may meet you both in these
travels, and fall on you and the woman that you are tra-
velling with, and may wound you in the secret of your
hearts, which may be hid from the eyes of men, but e^m-
n It Le hid from the eyes of Gv^tl. Remember the old pro-
ve- b, *' that opportunity makes thieves." But if you
should happen to fall into the company of any other woman
in you lawful travels, either by day or bv night, and there
be no other person in your com.nany besides vou two, let
your prayer and your cry be to God, that it may please
him to deliver you both from the hand of that secret ene-
my, who has prevailed over many thousand*^, and will
prevail over many more ; try with the help of God to de-
liver yourselves in a prudent way us soon as possible, and
remember that no secret sin can be hid from God ; remem-
ber also, that your beloved wives are perhaps waiting at
home to !>e your lawiul pleasure ; and I recommaad -you

H 2

C ^0 )

not to be absent from their company when there is no
need i bat vv^hen there is real need tor you to leave home
and your dear wives, lor the care oi your business, do not
absent yoarseives any longer than yoar business rec^uires,
lor Dy ipng absence your enemy may raise up against you,
or agamsc your wives, and destroy the happiness which
God nas given you and yOur wives to enj )y, as a particular
pleasure in this iife. Look at ttie bad examples ot many
a man and of many a woman, causmg so great distresses
in lamiiies, and shun them all ; for it often brings th«
rage of jealousy to the partmg of men uud their wives,
which must be the most grievous thing on earth, amongst
the hoaest hearted men and women. Therefore, my dear
sons, be on your guard in all your actions, ieasuhe e'nemy
should get the advantage so far as to mar your happiness,
which God has freely given to all who love and fear him'
in this lire.

But alter all this be aware, least you should be destroy-
ed by her you love above and more than anv other crea-
ture in this life ; remember that you are to love the giver
ot gifts more than tie gifts ; yea, i say, you are to love
the giver of all good above the gift that is given ; ai»d as
yoa are the head of the family, thy wife isnot to be above
thee, but she is commanded lo reverence thee by her o-
bi'dience and submission to thy com n;!nds. But remem-
ber that ail your commands are to be injustice, love and
mercy diat all you t quire of them be also in tenderness,
love and justice, for the wife is not bound to obey any
other reqviest or com.nands from her husband, but those
that/are just before God j remember also one thing, that
IS you must yield to all your wife's desires to increase
her love, as i\ir as her desires xre in justice^ innocence
and harmless ; l3ut if her desires are such as will lead to-
sin or any unjust thing, be it ever so small, vet it is sin,
and I pray you all not to do it, for it may oe a means of
your ruin; tho' it nay seem a small thing commonly done
by many,- yet if it is not just, it ought not to be done ; for
a little leaven le^.veneth the v^iioie lump; therefore fear
the Lord more tnan ymr wife, md do not yield t-. her de-
sires, .vhenever th-y are discovered, to be contrary to the
wili ot God for you o do ; tho' it may grieve you to the
SQui,^tOjr.eiuse.to satisty thy^wifs's desires, remeiaber tha^

( 91 )

all married women are not righteous, anci they who are
not righteous before the Lord, are the most powerful in-
struments that Satan can use to ensnar*;: your souls ; for
it grieves a lovingjuisband lo the heart, to refuse to oblige
his wife in what she may require of him, but remember
what 1 said, that the giver is to be loved more than the
gift, yet tiie giu is to be sat much store by for the benefit
of it, and ior the giver's sake ; the giver is the great God
of heaveu. My dear sons, I must now leave you ull to
consider on the foregoing instruction, and pray you not
to pass by it too slightly. May the Lord make it as a.
lookmg-glass to you all, by which you may see the clean-
ness or uncleannsss of your souls.

CHAPTER VIL

Advice to my Dau(^hters^ concerning their duty in a
married life.

MY dear daughters, I now turn to you, that you may
c-QHsider on your duty in a married life ; first, of your

duty to God your creator ; secondly, your duty

towards your husbands. Having nine f you, (now all
married,) by one dear mother, my belo\ ed wife, who haa
brought you all to me as so many gifts of God ; 1 pray
you to attend to the following: your first duty in this
station is to love God above ail things — even him who
made and brought you all to this married station, and give
him praise and thanksgiving, for the favours he. has and
is daily bestowing on you ail in this life. God- did not
think it best to place you on the highest seat of honor on
earth, or to give woman the first crow;n amongst the
children of men ; this he had given to man before the
woman was formed, and whilst she remained in maa's
body ; for out of the man's bone, the woman w^as made,
and given to man for his glory in keeping his company in
his lonesome hours. Remember that thee was taken out
pf the man before thee was formed ; for tlus cause God
gave power to the man to be head of liis family, and king
in his own house. But as wruian was taktn out of the
man, she became the secmc' person i^- ^uthoiitv,.and God
g,ave her to the man to bit. hisvvife and company keeper..

( 9a >

Altho' it pleased God to g^ve to ihe womaa the second
s^at ot honor am oi.^'St the children ol men on earth, \et
she is not to have dominion over her husband, for God
has given him the kingciom and a crown over all he fcs-
-sesseth — the woman God has put undtr the myn, .-nd
commanded her to reverence & obey ner husband in all his
just requests and commands — the woman, the wife of the
man, unto her God has given tiie second crown ol honor ;
thai IS, io w^ear, bear and keep the second authority under
the government ol her husband, as a Queen, tn set by
the side^i her kmgiy hubbaiid on the throne, which God
has given the man as king ovei his iiuie kingdom.

It was not good in God's sight to piaee the woman over
tile man , but is was good in nis sight to place the maa
over the won~»aij. It was for this cause God first made
man tor his own glory, but the woman was made for the
glor) of man ; and as God's glory is greater tVian man's,
it pleased him to put all things which he had n^ade under
the man : therefore let it not grieve any woman, because
she is put under her husband by her marriage covenant ;
for the lovely careol God to the woman is such, that he has
in a particular maitner, given command to every husband^
to iovc his wife as his own flesh, and as his own body,
which she becanie by the marriage covenant. Tberetore,
my deardaiigh.ers, it is }our duty to love, fear, and serve
God, by keeping ail his commanclmenls ; it is also \;pur
duty to give God thanks for the favours you are daily re-
ceiving in this life in eating, drinking, sleeping, &c. &c. —
for^all his spiring, healing atsd delivering mercies, (kc.
too many lor me to enum.erate at this time, aid from a
sense ol his heavenly kindness ; I) ! let his love and lear
be in )ou, ail the days ol \our lives.

Secondly, yv-ur duty towards your- husbands— you
•ught lo loVe them above and more than any other men on
earth, and separate yourselves from their company— be
©niv joined in the love and fear of God to your own bus-
bands, and yield yourselves up to satisfy their requests
and desires, that may be mnocent, harmless and just : lor
by yielding obedience to them ia a lovely, ol'liging, sub-
mitting manner, it must of course increase their love and
kindness t^ you, which will be better than silver and gold ;
for unless y^>u preserve their love and kindness by your

( 93 y

Irind obedience, your bappmcss will be greatly marred in
thi-s lite. Remember that you promised beiore God and
men that you would love, honor and obey your husband,
in all his just and reasonable commands ; do not fall
short of iulfiUijig this premise, tor if you do, you will
sin before Tiod, whovlias commanded you to reverence
your husbands as long as you are spared together. Let
the bad example of wicked women be a caution to you,
and do not lirke them, least it should prove your unhappi-
ness in this life and your irreparable ruin^ in time to come ;
for see how many women there are who deprive themselves
ef love and peace, by their giving way to a raging temper,
by which they are hindered from discharging their duty to
God and man, and are often l*^ft without a sensibility of
the love of God or of man ; in this distressed state there
is no happiness for such disobedient women.

CHAPTER VIII.

^dvke to all my Children concerning" their duty t9 their

Children,

DEAR children, there are fourteen of you in number
—thirteen are married — twelve have become parents and
have children ; 1 now will call your attention, and pray
you to consider what your duty is towards them. Altho*
they are the offsprings of your bodies, yet they are' the
Lord^s, who has been pleased to. put them under your
eare, that you might bring them up in the fear and love
of God, by letting them know, that there is a God in hea-
ven, who made and brought them into being, for the pur-
pose of giving them great blessings in this life, and in fu-
turity, eternal happiness, on condition that they will be
thankful to the Lord for all his favours in this life— walk
humbly before him — love him above all things — obey
him and follow his Son Jesus Christ, whom the Father
iiath sent, and will send to save all who will call on him,
from the evils of the world. Let your children know that
these are the eonditirons they must comply with, for they
caritiot be saved on any other. Altho' the Father of all
mercies has given Jesus Christ, bis Leloved Son to be a

( 94 )

saviour, and hath put -all the saving power in him, by
which tliere is a sufficiency to save all who ^v ill only yitid,
believe, obey, and follow his instructions, but altho' he
stands ready to save all those who are willing to be saved
by him, yet the Father has not j];ivcn him power to save
those who rebel against, will not believe, receive, nor suf-
fer him to reign over them ; such are not, neither can
they be saved by Christ in so sinful a condition of life ;— -
they first must pass through the gates of repentance, be-
fore Christy's power can extend to their salvation, yet ma-
ny there are, who neither have received Christ, nor be-
lieved in him, are often in their conversation calling
Christ their saviour, but every time they say so, they tell
a lie ; for he is not their saviour, nor never can be, as long
they live in rebellion ag-'-inst him, and love darkness more
than light. How dare men say th.it Christ is their saviour,
unless they were saved from their sins ; for Christ came
»ot to save any in their sins, but to save his people from
their sins. As Christ has no authority from h'.-s father to
save people in their sins, he is not the Saviour of these
who live in rebellion against him ; yet there is no power
given to any other angel or spirit, sufficient t© save those
who will not have Christ to reign over them ; as Christ
has received all power in heaven and earth from his Fa-
ther, if his Father did not give him sufficient power to
save people in their sins, by whom can they be saved ? No,
none can save them, (not even Christ) before they re-
pent ; yet the gift and calling is without repentance. What
is this gift and calling for, but to bring men to repen-
tance ? After this gift and calhngof God is over, if those
who receive it will not repent, they cannot be saved ; for
repentance is the first thing that God calls men to do, as a
preparation to receive his salvation ; but if they will not
obey, they cannot be saved. This may seem strange doc--
trine to thousands, but the time is hastening on, that both
sinners and saints shall find it true ; for I sav,that Christ
cannot save any until they give themselves up to him, and
yield to the opperation of his saving power ; then Christ
immediately will receive power to save them, who return
to him in the way appointed by God. Thotisands who
call themselves Christ'pns, " may sav thjit this is fciise
dQctrine j buc I here let them know that they have no fel-

( «5 )

lowship therewith — that they are yet in their sins — that
they are not born again — that they are strangers to the
kingdom of heaven — that they know not the Father nor
the Son, and for the want of this knowledge they have n«
fellowship with him. As things are thus, I pray all of
you, my dear children, to teach my dear grand children
: these things — take them by the hand and lead them to the
path of holiness, which leads to the gates of heaven. I
beg Had pray you all to forsake Egypt — leave it, and take
your children with you. From Egypt there is two ways,
one leads to heaven, the other to hell, and both are open
before you; as 1 know and have experienced them both,
I pray. you all to take my advice, which is, to walk in and
chuse tile path oi holiness with all my dear grand children,
which God has given to your care and keeping. Remem-
ber the lamentable hour that will come on all the Egyp-
tians, who will not forsake Egypt and all her sinful ways
—whose children will rise up in judgment against their
parents, aiid cause them to be put to an eternal death. —
Only look at the ways and manners of those cruel Egyp-
tian parents, who instead of taking their children by the
hand and leading them in the path of holiness, they haVc
been and are leading them in the path of wickedness,
which Ir^ads to hell — look at the example which those
wicked Egyptian parents set before their children, both la
wo-ds and in deeds ; tiiey teach them the ways of pride
and coveto'.isness, which is abomination in the sight of
G.,d — .'O k ai thf^sc- Egyptian fathers, who will go to some
meetings and hear some sort of preaching, they become
mem'o'rrs vf S'»me society, oecause their pride leads thtm
to do so —they sliv something they call prayer at night,
before tueir families can go to rest (that is, to bed to
sleep; they speak some words, called grace, before they
or their familv may eat at their tables ; but if grace was
no better than what they say, all men would fall short of
happiness; for it is by grace that man i$ saved, and they
who are not saved by grace are not saved at all. Let us
view th'-m a little further — -sometimes they will curse and
swe.ir before tl;=ey riee from their tables, aloout something
or other, pet'hl^pi' the cook, who has been svveating over the
he-**- of the fire to pr^-pnre their food ; or the boy, because
he did iiot run quick enough with the cup* Behold tsheif

t 96 )

jaging passions, they can caii their sons Jog's whelps an=d
rascals, and their daughters bitches and the like, cursing
and damning them in an unbecoming j;nanner — they will
quarrel and fight their neighbours — abuse their wives-
get drunk, commit adultery — love and praise other womeu
more than their lawful wives — cheat and defraud all they
©an, even their own fathers iithey have a chance — unjust
—-unmerciful — liars — thieves— upholding wars — justify-
ing bloodshed and oppression, and many such things ; y-et
they will go to the temple, where they take as great delight
as if they went to worship God ; for' their pride makes
them think, that if they do not go to meeting, men will
have reason to think that they are not righteous j for the
Egyptians are zealous for their worship, altho' it is an
idle one — there is no true worship amongst them, for
they worship without the spirit of Christ ; therefore they
are only form il worshippers, who Say Lord ! Lord ! and
do not the things which the God of hea> ^.i^ requires of
them — neither do they obey him, and as they do not like
to put their necks under the^ yoke of Christ, take up his
^oss and follow him, they cannot be his disciples ; and
when God saw that these refused to follow the counsel of
his Son, he left them to follow their own way of worships
and called his l)eloved Son out of Egypt.

The Egyptians seem to be very devout in their wor-
ship, yet there is none true amongst tbem, as the Son of
God is not there, for his father has called him into the
land of holine s, and placed him on his right hand ; where^
if any see and believe him worthy to be worshipped, they
must leave Eg}'pt and all her sinful ways, and come to
the holy land before their worship will be accepted, or -C'
ceptable to my God. But the king of Egypt is so delight-
ed with the worshippers of the Egyptians, that he makes
them think by his secret praise, that there is no worship
as right as theirs ;'* for he tei s them that they have the
Tight form of worship, and sometim- s he encourages them
to speak of the power of God, which they do in their de-
lighted meetings. Thus the poor captivated sinful crea-^,
tures are imposed upon, like the people were in the day^
of Simon the sorct-rer, who had a long time bewitched?
the people of Samaria, whom ihey all agreed that he had '^
th^ great power of God. Acts viii chp. 9, 10, 11 vrsf.

( ^7 )

But how ihty were mistaken, for their teacher an^ ghide
was in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity ;
tlius it is with all the Egyptian preachers. But it the
love of the Lord, should cause his alarming trumpet to
sound- so loud in heaven, that it be heard j)y some Egyp-
tians, or some of the bondagi< seed of Israel, and be bro t
to believe that there is no true worship in all Egypt-—
that they should be brought to believe, that none will be
permitted to enter the kingdom of heaven, except the true
worshippers of God—that there is no true worship of God
in all the land of Egypt, and that God wnll overthrow her
with all her idle worship, in the day that is drawing nigh.
I say, if any should be brought to see and believe, that
■r there is a necessity for them to foi'sake Egypt with aTl
her idle worship, and that there will be no future happi-
• ness for them, unless they forsake her and go to the holy
land, there to join the worship of God in heaven with the
true worshippers, v:ho worship God in spirit and in truth.
As soon as it is discovered by the king if Egypt that any
of his subjects are uneasy, and that they are not satisfied
. with the Egyptian sinful worship, he, (the king of Egvpt)
is in dislike with them for their concern \o leave him ;
nay, his very priests are against such who have seen the
necessity of 'leaving Egypt with all her sinful ways ; and
when the king and all his priests, see that these concervi-
ed ones are determined to go to the promised land, and
that they would rather leave all their ill begotten wealth ia
Egypt, than to stay in it, and be excluded from the hap-
piness of the kingdom of God— when these concerned ones
•will set off, by feeling the drawing of the love of God,
and do take their journey towards the promised land, to
jQin the worship of C»od with the true worshippers, who
have obeyed God and left Egypt before them •; I say,
when the' king of sinful Egypt sees them set off, he and
the rest of his subjects, or some of them, will use eveiy
deceiving means to hinder them from pursuing their jour-
ney towards the promised land. But when he sees that
all his threats and persuadings, will not prevent them
from starting off in their journey, and finds that they are
gone with a view to leave his wicked service forever,
thea he will raise hia powerrul army to pursue them that

I,

( 98 )

are going to the promised land, like it v/as in the days o£
©Id.

But let all those who are now on their journey to the
prorn'ised land, be delivered from ail fear — let them stand
firm in their faithful endeavours, and they shall see the
salvation of God in the work of their souls' salvation,
which they are now seeking ; for the king of Egypt shall
not with all his pursuing army be able to do you any
h:irm, if your all will put your trusts God and faithfully
©bey the Lord^ for he will send his preserving angel of
light, who Will stand between you and the hosts of the
Egvptlans — he will be to you as, the cloudy pillar was to
the children of Israel, for he vAW give you light as he did
to them, by which they saw how to go through the red
sea ; but this light will be as darkness to all the pursuing
lirniy of the king of Egypt. Therefore I pray you all t»
take encouragement, and be all faithful, like Caleb and
Joshua, who obtained the blessings which God gave those
that entered that earthly land, which the faithful received
of God by his proniise. But there are greater blessings
to be received in, the spiritual holy laud, which God has
promised to all that holds out in their spiritual travels or
journey, until they enter the holy -land.

1 have now cautioned you all, my dear children, least
yoi; be intic^ed to follow the bad exam ])les of the Egyptian
men. and women, wiio stand daily in danger of an ever-
laF'ing overthrow, Tlie Egyptians of old, it seems,
vere so pro:d, that it was abomination for them to eat
out of the s^'i.e aish with the Israelites ; altho' by the
wisdom of one of them, (which God gave him) their lives
were prestrved in the famine, by his laying up corn for
br( a>'l^ aj? ir.st^he needful <.iays, without which they would
all have perished ; yet after all this great favour, it was
abomin: tier* tor s ch proud creatures to eat with the Is»
r{i litis. It appears that this practice of pride is kept up,
l»i 1=1 be Eg- pti ns oi our age, for some are still in the
^isdajnfui habit of despisir^g to be seen eating bread ot
me t. with those who labour an i lay up corn to make
bread for these lordly Egyptians of our days ; for many
e)^<t;er-T., !iave not industry enough in them to lay it up
for tire rr fJeives, r.nd altho' they rannot suffer their poor
CRptf vested slaves to eat bread 'jviih ihem at their tabks»

( 99 )

yet many of these proud delicate beings, will go to the
bed of the despised negroes, both male and fi^male, and
commit adultery, whoredom, and mingle their seed with
those they will not S'.iifer to set down at their tables and
&at bread with them. O my soul ! flee from all their
wicked habitations ; and you my dear sons and daughters,
look at the increase of their mingled aeed, which is be-
come a generation of malatoes, whose multiplication is
so great already that it seems in pursuit of time, it may
destroy all the real white blood out of our parts of Ame-
rica.

1 wish you now to turn your eyes, and behold the bad
examples of the Eg\-ptian women ; let it teach you to for-
sake their wicked ways, for many of them are mothers of
tender children who lie in their arms, being yet innoctrit
babes, neither knowing the path of heaven, nor the patb
of hell, but are under the care of those parents like Jesus
"was in the arms of his mother, when Joseph carriedihem
both into Egypt ; but these Egyptian women are notli^ve
the wire of Joseph, the mother of Jesus, for when the an-
gel of God appeared to"" Joseph in a dream, and bid hi^n
return and bring the young child Jesas and his mother
out of Egypt, she yielded obedience to the voice of her
husband, went out of Egvpt, took the young child with
them and brought him into the land of Israel^ in whicK
the young child continued until he finished all the
works which his father had given him to do — until it
pleased God to place him on his rigtit hand on his heaven-
ly throne ^ for altho' he was his son, even the son of God,
and altho*^ he did not transgress whilst in heaven, in his
father's glory, which he enio-.-edbeforehe entered that lit-
tie body, prepared by his father of the seed of the 'vo-
man in the bowels of Mary his mother ; he did not leave'
his father's kingdom by his own will, against the will of
his father, for it is evident that it was the M'ill of his fa-
ther that he should come into this worM : he came not
of himself, bat his father sent him, therefore it vvas ncr
transgression for him to leave his glory with his father
and come into this world, for his*^usiness was to do his
father's will, and to finish the work which his father ha^i
giv^n hi n to do ; that was to prepare the wav o? s^'^lv:; ion
for all that would take up their cross and follow his exam ■

( 100 1

pie every steps. This work he was to finish before he
could return to his father's giory, \Vhich he had with him,
before he entered in this world.

Christ's first . station and birth was in Bethlehem, o£ ,
Judea, where he was nourished by th& providential care^'
of his father, by the hand of his mother and Joseph his
supposed father, who took on him the parent's care by
the instruction of the angel of God; there he remained
until his parents, carried him down to Egypt, and remain-
ed there imtil the angel of God appeared with orders
for his supposed father to return, and bring the child Jesus
and his mother up out of the land of Egypt into the land
of Israel, where he might be a Nazarite before God ; |
which is a true figure of v/hat I call the fourth station o$
all lihat become christians in this life — it is in this statioji^
he was to nnish all the work which his father had giveft,
him to do — altho'he was the son of God, and had never
transgressed, yet there was no possibility of his returning -
to the full enjoyment of the glory of God, which he had
before be came into the world, before he finished the work
\>'hich his father had given him to do ; as soon as he
irtiished that work, he bowed his head, and afterwards- he
bid this world in body adieu ; — his father, at the appoint*
ed time, raised him above all his enemies in this world,
and restored him to the glory he had before he came into
this siiiful world. What may we learn by all this ? The
first thing we may learn is, that Christ did not come into
Bethlehem of Judea, of himself, but his father sent him.
Secondly, he did riot go down into Egypt of himself, but
his parents carried him ; and thirdly, that he did not tra-
vel out of Egypt of his own accord, before his father call-
ed for him and his parents to come out of it into the land:
of Israel, where he might be called a Nazareen, in which
station he was to do his father's will, thac is, the will oi
God; being in the land of Israel, which God had given
to the Israelites by promise.

Now, v/hat ••o these four different station of Christ's
life point out to us, whilst we are in this world? Perhaps •
my dear children would be willing to hear my opinion be-
fore they would give theirs ; well then, I will show my
opinion, which the Lord hath given me — I have not re-
ceived it of man, for X have no knov/ledge of any thing

( 101 )

^>ut what I have received of God ; therefore it is not minej
but it is the Lord's, who gave it to me to give it to all
that can receive it j to begin : — Christ's first station whilst
in the land of Judea in Bethlehem, it is a figure of our
first station of life, wherein v/e breathed our tirst in this
world of time. Now he did not bring himself there, buc
5t was his father which sent him there, so he was inno-
cent and harmless whilst he was there, so he was always.
This is a figure of our first station in this world of time,
for we did not bring ourselves into our first station, but
the great God of heaven created, made and placed us
there ; as Christ's first station was innocent, it was a figure
of our first station of life before we eat die forbidden fruit,
'for until then we were innocent and harmless beings, in
the image of God, like unto Jesus, who is and was the
son of God, and who for his obedience is returned to all
his father's glory, which he kept for him against the day
of his return, and for all who become his faithfull follow-
ers into the kingdom of heaven. His second station was
going into Egypt and dv/elling there ; now Jesus did not
go down into Egypt by himself, nor of himself, it was hifi
parents that carried him there, but he did not learn to
commit or do any of the wicked things of that land. What
is that station a figure of whilst Jesus was in Egypt ? —
It shows our second station, wherein we, after eating the
forbidden fruit, we were carried down by our parents into
spiritual Egypt, v/here the misfortune of children is often.
' very dangerous, for the tvant of such parents as Joseph
and Mary, the mother of Jesus were, for akho' they went
down and staid a while in Egypt, yet they did not become
Egyptians like many children's parents do in our d ;ys,
for many who are mothers of children, andraam^who are
fathers in our days, instead of following the example of
Joseph and Mary, the mother of that tender child Jesus,
they choose to follow the example of the Egyptians, in
'■ putting or trying to put the IsraelitesV children to death ;
in thtsedays the death of the Isr*, lites' children, v/hich
the Egyptians wanted to destroys svas only the death ofihe
body, but the Egyptians in these our days, seem to try
to destroy the spiritual seed of God, by their wicked ex-
amples of words and deeds, by which they take this tea^

I 2

( 1"2 )

derseed, which came into this world n®t of themselve^i :
but God hath sent them into that little body, and prepar-
ed by the seed of the man being the father of the little
mortal, and of the seed of the woman which God prepar-
ed in her secret chamber, congealed together, until it be-
came a babe in its mother's womb, and by God's unseen
work, its little body is formed, compacted together and
strengthened, to enable its passage into this world, thro?
the narrow door of the secret chamber of its mortal mo-
ther f when brought forth it is either a male or a female,
a temple f(.r the seed of God to do his will in ; altho' its
first appearance is like Jesus', it is not kept so long, for
in the space of two or three years, the mother being an <
Egyptian woman, living in Egypt, begins to learn the
poor innocent babe her Egyptian ways, for many of these
mothers are in the practice of ail evils, and they cannot
be more wicked than they are ; this may seem to some
people that this must be a lye, for the people could be a
great deal worse than they are ; but they that think so
are without the knowledge of the restraining power of
God, for if that was taken from all men and women, thea.-^
the3;^^ould commit more evils than they do, for the re-
straining and preventing grace of God^is a very strong
chain, which men and women cannot j&tretch any farther
than God suffers them to do, bui if they could stretch it,
the sins of the people of Egypt woulcJ be greater than
they are at this time j if God were to let men and women
go as far in wickedness as their wicked thoughts, their
coveting desires and revenge, they would actuaiiy do lU
I ask those that think that mankind pould be worse than
they are, if they can teil what woaian could be found on
earth, tint would be a virgin at the age oft>wenty years?
-—how many would there be alive at the age of manhood .
or womanhood? — how manv more murders would there
be committed; by the spirit of revenge ? — how many is
there amongst us but what would be robbed, if th^y ha 1
any thing to be robbed ^f ? Bat you will say th^it is
the law that prevents alt this, for you must confess that _
if there was no law, wickedness would manifest itself in "
tk greater degree than it does at this time ; if you do be-
Heve this, you must agree with me that me a :\nd wonien
vrho lives an Egyptian life, -^Tc as wicked as ihey can be ;

( 103 )

if there was no law to pmiish transgressions, you all allow
that there would be many more wicked deeds done thai!

.'are now done, for tear of their being punished by the law ;
this we in\y have' reason to believe from this one thing
which often h ippeneth in our land, when there ariset i a
dift'erence between two men or more, & the rage of pas-
sion desireth revenge, he that is subject to it says to his
fellow -creature, *' only clear me the law, that is all the
favour I ask of you ;" »/e must allow if it was not for the
law, which prevents such a raging madman, he would re •
venge himself in beating his feilow-creature if he had
strength enough to do it, on that man of whom he asked
that favour ; (as he called it) but the man will not grant
him that request, therefore he is restrained from beating
him, because hewould not say that all law was clear. Now
what was it that kept this man from his remengeful desire
but the iaw, which God's restraining and preventing grace
has a share in making ; for all governmental laws, are
made to deter and keep people from committing gross
evils, in which the grace of God has certainly a hand in
the making, and if a hand in making such laws, it is his
restraining grace, which prevents men and women from
breaking them any more than they are ; take all laws away,
and we shall live- in the land of barbarism indeed. Now
the strong chain is stretched so far as to bring many a man

^•and woman to l>e punished in the penitentiary, in prisons
and on the gallows by hanging, for their trying to breaS:
this blessed chain, which prevents so many people Irom

'doing the evils which the devil and their own lusts would
lead them to do, and would actually do, if this blessed
chain of God's preventing grace was utterly taken away ;
biit thig blessed chain of G^d's restraining grace

,' remains in our land, especially tltut pan of it which God
has planted by his own hand, in our own hearts.

/Vickedness often acts like a thief, for he is afraid to
act in the light of the day, for fear he shou dbe seen ; but

^ tak^way the internal and external chain of God's re-

- straining grace from this land, which is called by the hon-
orable, name of a christi m land, you would soon see that

, that there would be but very few among;st us that would

^ bear the mirks of a christian ; f)r the aeceiving cloak of
relijion would soon be thrown oiT, and robbi^ry and open

( 104 )

wickedness would soon take place ; for even now, whilst
the preventing grace is in power amongst us, many
are so hardened in the practicable habit of their sins, that
they are nut ashamed to commit open wickedness ; how
xnuch more would they commit it there was nothing to
restrain them, nor to make them ashamed ? Therefore,
my deai sons and daughters, 1 pray you to attend to the
restraining grace of God, both internally and externally^. ~
and it will keep you from following the bad example of
those wicked Egyptians, both of men and women, whose
evils are daily manifested before our eyes, for many of
them, that is, those Egyptian women, have departed from
the kindness which they owe to their husbands, and to
their children, and have become like the fire- flying serpent,
who bit the children of Israel when they were travelling
to the promised land. How many loving ^usbands and
tender childr^en have been bitten to the heart by these fool-
ish Egyptian women, who seem to have some kindness
for their husbands and to their children, when their neigh-
bours come in or are by, but as soon as they are gone
there is scarcely any end to their hissing tongues, with
which they bite like the fire-flying serpent, for they fly
from one thing to another in mad passion to their hus-
bands, and as the saying is, they are never satisfied with
their husbands, neither full nor fasting, let them be as
kind as they may, still their is no content in them, but are
daily rough, harsh and snappish to their husbands and
to their tender children. Instead of leading their tender
children in the path of love and peace, they lead them in
the paths of anger and provocation^ until the tender chil-
dren lose all sight of the path of love, which God hath
made for all children to walk towards their parents ; this
is natural in all childrei^at the first steps of their lives in
this world, to walk in the right path of love whi h God
hath made, towards their parents, but these unreasonable,
hard-hearted, rash-worded mothers, often drive their
tender children out of the path of love, into the hateful
paths of rebellion and anger, wherein all lovely tender
jiffection is lost by the children, and they then cai:e not
much more for their mothers than if they had norfcorne
them in this world ; and from the dreadful example of
their mothers' words,. the children's lovely affections ar«

( 105 )

'^estrcn-ed, and are bro't to want their parents dead ; thu5
instead of goin^ in the way of righteousness, with their hus-
bands and children to the promised land out of Egypt,
like ]Mary the wife of Joseph, (who was the mother of that
little body that was called Jesus) did, instead of doing as
that, obedient woman, they ^o in the broad way of destruc-^
tion, which often destroy all good desires that would
bring forth good things in their husbands and children, if
it was not destroyed by their bad examples.

My dear daughters, I pray you ta be obedient lovers
of your husbands, and lovers of your children, and go
li^e Mary the wife of Joseph did -, yea, I pray you all to
be like that obedient loving wife, (the mother of Jesus)
was, who went with her husband and took her young child
out of Egypt, and went into the land of Israel, where the
young child jj sus might grow up to do the will of God«
I say, be you all like unto this blessed woman — go all of
you out of the wicked Egyptian ways, go with your hus-
bands, and take your dear children with you, into the
land of holiness, where you may all do the will of God^
who will be the father of all that enter into the fourth sta-
tion, where the worship o£ God is pure as the Lord is
pure. Now my dear daughters, if you will only take
my advice and begin your journey with your husbands
and children, when you come into the holy land all God's
people who are there, will love & praise you, God himsejj?
will love and honor you^ and give you pleasure in your
present life time here, and in futurity he will give you
everlasting happiness ; which is the desire of my soul for
all of you my dear children, and for all the people on earth,
of every colour ; my desire and prayer to God is, that all
might repent and forsake all sinful Egvptian ways, and
that all might come up to the land of holiness, there to
abide until it pleases God the gather them as his sheep^
and place them on his right hand, to tlie end of time,
Amen,

CHAPTER IX.

On the afore ordination of God^ by a supposed secret counciL

I find it my duty to say something more, which I had

»o- thought of doing until this day ; that is to drop some

( icfs )

•words to caution you against the dangerous opinion of
many, vyho by their confession of faith declare, that the
just and merciful God, the master of heaven and earth,
has decreed by the secret council of his own will-— hath
afore ordained all things whatsoever that comes to pass,
and that by God's eternal decree, a certain number of
mankind, or of the sons and daughters of men are to be
saved, and that all the rest of mankind shidl be lost. In
the book of their confession of faith it is said, that the,
number is so certain and definite, (if I remember right)
that there is no possibility of adding to the number, nor
any possibility of diminishing it; if this was possible
to be true, we should n^: have had any need of Christ's
c?oming to be our Saviour, for that decree, which they
say was established by God and his secret council, before
man was made or brought into being ; I <^ y, that this
council if true, gave that decree all the power of man's
salvation, and that Jesus born of that woman espoused to
Joseph, who carried Jesus and his mother into Egypt, and
bro't them back ao^ain into the land of Israel ; I say, by
that confession of faith, if it could be a true one, it v/ould
make it an impossible tiling for that same Jesus, who WcV^
crucified and hung on the cross to be our Saviour, or that
he had anv saving power in him ; because God had vested
all the power in that decree, which was to save such »•
Rumher who are called God's elect, ai^d to damn all the
rest of mankind. O ! abhored doctrine, for it cannot pos ■
sibly be true, and if not true it must take its origin from
the rays of the false light, which leads men into wrong ideas
concerning the things of God and man's salvation ; these
wrong ideas have led them to put a wrong construction on
the holy scripture, it is the ensnaring work of the Devil,
to prevent mankind from calling on the name of Jesus
Christ for his aid in their salvation, for they believe in the
decree and in an impossibilitv of altering it, therefore they
must, in this belief, live without any other saviour than -
the power of that decree, by which they say that man is
to be saved or lost, bv God*s ordination before man was ^
made or former!, and placed in the garden of Fdesii^ But
my dear children, I pray vou to shun such dangerous be-
lief for this reason ; this opinion and*^elief in such a de- .
cree, if it was true, would make out my pure and holy

'i ( 107 )

i'fiocl whom -I desire to serve m the spiritual p©wer a»d
k)ve of Christ, which he hath given me and to all his
faithful followers, I say, that such a faith would make qut
that my God foredecreed the sins of all mankind, that
«yer were or ever will be committed, and that Christ has
no power to save those who repent and believe the gospel
from their sins, which would, iv it was true, make all
the Apostles, ministers of Christ, and Christ himself to
be liars ^ for they have said that there was not any other
name given under the heavens, by which men may be sav-
ed, but only by the name and power which God has given
to Jesus Christ our Lord. "Christ himself says, (as it
is written) that all power in heaven and in earth was givea
to him, waich would be a lye if the decree still holds the
power to siive such a number of mankind, let their deed^
|)e what they may ; and power to damn the rest. I'bis
di>ctrine cuts off the ofF^rof salvation to all mankind by
Christ, why should it be offered by him if there is nd
other salvation but that which "Comes by that decree ; for
8urely,'ns Christ who is all wise, and has the keys c.f the
fountain of understanding, so far out of his senses as t©
offer and call all trie ends of the earth, (meaning man) ta
ht saved, if he had not power to save all that looked or
came unto him. I novv desire v^ know why, or for what
such a certain number of mankind must be damned, by
that decree or secret council of God's fore ordination,
and that without the offer of grace, for there could not
possioly be any grace aiTered to those th-^t the decree
da.Ti!is, before the said decree was passed, and it beiiig
of ai unalterable and unchangeable nature ; what foolish a
thing vv^ould it be of God to offer them salvation by Jtbus
Christ, knowing that his decree prevented them tVom re-
Ctivingany other saivatjoo, except what ; ame by his de-
cree, and as the decree should have been made before
tna.i was made, or formed out of tlie dust of the earth,
and oefore God breathed the breath of life in him, or be-
fore mi»n became a llvihg soul. Now if the doctrine of
the decree is true, I desire to-know vvh),^ C^od should be so
parti d and unjust, as to chuse out and make a certain
nuaiber^r bis race, and damn all the rest, who had done
neither good nor evil ; but accdi-ding to this decree God's
i secret council fore-orJiaiaed these > and all the witkedness

that man oc woman commits, in order that these >viclce^
Creatures should be damned, but is it not dangerous lo charge
God who is just and merciful to all, sends rain and fruit-
ful seasons unio all, and causes his sun to shine on all
^ith such impartiality f when it is declared that he is no
respecter of persons that work righteousness, amongst all
nations. But you may say that the decree has prevented^
all that great number from working righteousness ; but
how does all this agree with the lamentations of Christ over
Jerusalem, when he said how often he would gather them
as a hen gathered her chicks, or her brood under her wings,
but they would not ; by this you all may see the reason
that any are damned ; it is not by any afore decree of
God, but it is because they will not accept his salvation.
Again, I must ask why these should be damned before
they w^ere made? w^as it for doing that which /God had'
decreed that they should do, under the penalty of death,
for their damnation must come by one of these, as some
say that God decreed all things that come to pass. 'Now
i.f God'did decree all things that conies to pass, why
should people be damned for only doing what God had de- 1
creed them to do ? that the offsprings of heaven *should
be damned for their obedience, in doing what God de-
creed them to do, seems quite contrary to the very name
df a merciful God ; yea, it is contrary to the name of mer-
ciful men, much more to the name of a merciful God. As
it is said that God did decree, and that for his own glory,
all things whatsoever that come to pass, he must have de-
creed all the evils that ever were committed in the world,
«r else they would not come to pass, for all the following
evils have come to pass, and if God has decreed all, he'
must have decreed that men should and women should do
these evils, for how could it be otherwise, seeing that
God had decreed it for them to do as they ha\ e done;
even these evils, evil thoughts, from which nearly all o-
ther evils come, such as adultery, whoredom, murders,
thefts, covetousness, vile passions, evil eyes, quarelling,
fighting, oppressions, backbitings, ntws-carriers to stir up .
strife, liars, mischief-making, dissatisfaction, with every ^
other evils done under the sun. Now the question ou-^ht
to be decided, that people might no longer be imposed in
mind about the decrees. Therefore I will ask whether

( 109 )

•HGod hns called any ol these to repent, that have been
guiltv of any such evils, seeing that they only obeyed him
in his decrees ? If God had decreed thS^se things to be
done, it cannot be denied but that God has called sonie
of them to repentance, and if the above evils were done
in obedience to God's decrees, I desire to know why God
should call them to repentance, when'they were only do-
ing the things he had decreed them to do ; I see no rea-
son for God's calling them to repentance for their obedi-
ence to his will, for it must be God's will that men should
do these evils, if he did decree it to"* be done. Now if
.men are called to i%)entance, and certainly they are, for
it is said " repent and believe the gospel," and also, '' ex-
cept the}^ repent they shall all likewise perish ;" that is
lose a life of happiness in the kingdom of God. Wa^ it
for their obedience or for their disobedience, that God
called men to repent ? it must be either for their obedience
in doing these abominations, or for some disobedience ;
I say, it must be for .he one or for the other ; and reasoh
proves according to such doctrine, that they who do such
evil crimes only do what God had decreed them to do ;
, .yet there have been some few people i^ all ages, who have
.repented for doing any of tb^^e evils and have utterly re-
. .'fused to follow the eSyample of" those people, who to this
^ day are in the full habit of doing these evils, to the grref of
>, God's spirit and mine. I also desire to knov/ whether
they that do these evils are the chost n elected number,
v;ho,are to be saved according to the doctrine of the de-
cree, or whether it is that number among mankind v/he
^"epent and forsake all those evils, and rebel ag.nii.st the
-dther of them ? I say which of ths^se tvyo sorts of people
Mre appointed for God's happy number, or for his danmed
i uum' :er ? kjr i*: mus' be either those who cjrtinue doing
'^ such evils at are known to be such, or those who repent &
for^iake alhevils, and depend^ on salvatiQiil^y Jesus XbrJ^t,
by receiving the saving grace of Gcd tbro' Jesus Christ
our Lord ; I say, which of the twain ai^ to bt the happy
Dumber? as these two sorts of pecplij^ include all pec pie
I ©a the face of the earth. Having pit tne question, H must
' be anst\''ered, yet it seems that any or.e re acMng the above
might know what my imswer w'-ll be, but if any are igno-
1 ant and want to knew my answer, it is this j Go^'s elect

K

( 1 10 )

mimbcr arc not those people who remain in the practice
of all, or part of the & fort named evils, die in them^ v ith-
©u| repenting of the e\ ils they have been guilty of, almost
all Ihe days of their mortal lives — nevcl- forsook them,
»or never were saved from the wickedness of this cor-
rupted world, but die in their sins, without redemption
in [esus Christ ; rf these are not God's elect number, they
must be that number wliich the scripture say will be damn*
ed ; that is, to be placed on God's left hand, in the day
of Christ's separating his sheep from his goats, who are
to bar that dreadful sentence which Christ will proclaim
to'^them, " dep'oirt you cursed, for i%as hungry and you
gave me no meat, and I was thirsty, and you gave me
no drink, naked and'y^u cloathed me not, sick and ia
prison you visited me not." Now after the above sentence
is passed, how will it be with those that are placed om
Christ's left hand .'' for when this is done, it most certain-
ly will come lo pass.

Bacnow I will tell you who are God^s elect number,
it is those throughout all ages who heard the word of
God, and did not harden their hearts by turning them-
selves away from the word of God, but did receiye h iike
the good ground whi( h brH^gs some thirty-fold, some
sixty and some an hundred of the fruits of God^s spirit
and *ftord. ibr God^s spirit is the word of God; which is
Tesus Christ our lo^d ; for Christ himself is known to be
iht word of God, which all must receive before they can
be eav^d ; thisTs the decree of God, that all men or wo-
men who are saved 5?-nd elected into eternal bliss, shall be
saved bv Chrisi, and by no other ; for God has not given
or Rppointecl any other besides Christ himself, to be the
saviour— :that elect numi)er must first bfe saved from their
sj-js srd evils, before they can be elected and admitted
into Ctod's elect number, which Christ will pL;ce on his
right hand, and will proclaim those joyful word«, when
hf wiU sa^ to those vvho received hi« holy woid and liro't
forth frr.Ms of his lovely spirit ; *•'• Come ye blessed of my
^hth'v, inr.(^rit thiq^-^ingdom which has been prepared for
_^ foundation of jthe, world "' This kipgdi^m

'i» oivly for tiiosfi v. ho receive 'th« word of God in a good,
hf>f;e€t and tru*^ penitent heart — -hob ve repf^ntt d for ,'}!
%titk d^j i>£ ihsy JSiany or f^ewi and have come out 0$

( 111 )

them by obevinj? God's call to them to repent, forsake
their shis and take up their cross^to deny their desirej? —
to do any thing which the light of Christ, within ih.i-
own understandings discloses to them to be sin. Here is
the cross, it is when we find our minds drawn from Christ
into any evil things ; that is, if we find our minds drawn
) commit any evil thing, which the light cf Christ hath
f!hown us to hb the desirable fruits of sinful flesh, we
must cross all these evil desires and utterlv* refuse to gra-
tify any such sinsul notions, let them be ever so desiirable
to'the nature of sinful flesh, or ex^r sd enticing or
pleasing to a sinful .^orld ; this is vvhat it meant by tak-
ing up our cross and following Christ, it is also to deny
•urselves that sinful liberty which men take in doing what
God has forbidden them to do ; for all things declared'
by the scriptures and God's spirit, to be the fruits of the
fiesh, God has forbidden men to do ; and all people of all
colour under the heavens, who obey the word of God in
denying themselves being partakers of the wickedness o*'
^ny of the fruits of the flesh ; if in the day of their igno-
( ranee they had eaten of those forbidden fruits, yet if^they
now in the day of knowledge, repent and obey God's
voice and come out of those wicked practices— leave \i\\
their sinful words and deeds, %d as I said take up their
cross — deny themselves of those sinful deeds, and follosv
Christ in the, way of doing the will of God his father ;
■ even those that have had their garm^ts stained with their
sms,^ and their sinful garments were like crimson or scar-
Jpt, yet thev shall be washed as white as snow ; it is those
who'follow Christ in the way of his salvation, that arc or
*^will be the dect of God, for they have no dependence .on
any thing but Christ to save them from the evils ofthig
world. These, and only these, wdth the innocent babes
who depar|%d this life before they came to the knowledge
of e^il,^ shall have any enterance into the kingdom of God.
N/ V they who have eves to see and ears to hear, may see
and hear what Course pf life men nust take to come to
the kingdom of heaven .; but all wha^.,i3 written will .not
remove men from depending on the detrees for salvation,
which theV sav God in his secret council did make before
he formed m\n, or g^ve hi n bemg. T will say so'ne
more— If God did, before inan wa^ made or brought into

( 112 V

beinw^' foveordain all trim^> v/hatsoever tLat comes to
pass, why^ii^mt (fod h\ve so.ne respect for Coin's of-
fenag? for if Go i did afgreorvUin it why should God
Jhavief no respect for it — froiu whence sh^nld Cain be wrath
ami his coii-itenance fall? — wiy should the Lord ask
Cain for whiit.c.uise he was ♦vrat'i — '/%v should the Lord
say, " if thou doest well shall t*om not be accepted." — ■
Whydidthe eanh curse Cain, for the Lord said when,
he called Cain to give him an account of liis murdering
his brother^ he saidtnat '■' Cuin was Cursed from the earth,
and, he should be a fugitive and a vagabond in it, and that-
it should not yield her strength unto^i;/i/' For which
cause Cain cried out '''^thit his punishment was grea-
ter than he could bear." Now if God had decreed allr
this beiore it capne to pass, how could poor Cain help it
—-nidst he suffer for vvhat God had foreordained him to
do? but if God bad decreed all this, he has made new
decrees since, for \vhen he put a mark on Cain to prevent
hirn irom being slain, he must have made a ne .v decree on>
the account of Cain, least any man should slay him, in
this decree he declared, " that whosoever slays Cain that
seven fold vengeance should be taken on them," Now
this is God's certain decree, for it'was not rn a do before
man was made, and placed in the garden of Eden, nei-
ther was it made at the se.ting of that secret council
which men depend on. This shows that God did not
bring all things to pass^y that first decree, for if all things
had come to pass by that first decree, there w*ould not
have b^en room for a second decree ; the second would
be without pov/er, and any man that had a mind to slay
Cain, might laugh at the weakness of God, in pretend-
ing to make a second decree with a seven fold penalty,
to be demanded of such that did slay any of Cain's family ;
all this shows that God has made new decree#and ne^v
covenants, for since man was made God has made^new
covenants witJi them, since that which he rnade vvi^
Adam in placing him in the garlen ; and after that. was
broken by^man's editing the forbidden fruit. But if God
had decreed that Aclfti and Eve should do so ? how coul4
they help it ? — how could they transgress, for no man can
transgress a law or decree, v/heh they truly obey and
faithfully do, v/hat is decreed for them to do. Our law

f^ C 113 )

givers would be strange law-makers, if they first made a
law for us to do so and so, and we in obedience to this
law did in truth just as this law required us to do ; would
they not be very strange law-makers to punish us for our
obedience ^ and the doctrine of God's decree by his secret
council, if it could possibly be true that God did foreor-

. dain all things that come to pass, I say^ v/ould it not make
out our most holy, merciful, kind and loving God a very

- - strange and a very tyrannical God, to punish a number of
his creatures men, for doing what he had decreed them
to do ? Away with all such blasphemous and above all
things dangerous d^pctrine, for an established belief of
this false doctrine, would utterly destroy all the work of
man's souls* It can only be done by Christ our Lord,
and there is no other to help us in the work of regenera>
tion, and in bringing us to the new birth of righteousnes'^
—none but him who is called Christ — who rose from the
grave on the third day after he was crucified, and ascend-
ed up to heaven, from whence he shall come to judge all
mankind.

But again, God did make a new covenant with Noah^
ivhenhe promised never to drown this world with water,
as he had done in thu- flood which drowned all men, but
those that were in the ark. And again, it said after those
days'^ that God would make a new covenant with men, in
which he would put his law in their hearts, add Vv-rite itia
tlteir minds. Was this new coverrant made by the secret
council, in which it is said that God foreordained all thiiigs
that comes to pass ? for this i\gw covenant has really come
to pass, and all christians that are redeemed from theii
wicked past ways, are witness to the truth of it. Was
this new covenant made by the old decree, or has it been
made since man was made and pile's d on earth I for by
the doctl*me held by some of my dear fellow-creatur ri,
this secret council must have been held some time before
GfoX nade the Sun, Moon and stars, and placed them in.
the fir'-irameut of heaven, to give man light on the Vac e
of the earth. Can ariy man say th# the new cove suat
was inade before man was created, and placedi^in the ; • ».r-
den of Eden ? or will any man deny that* it has IV en
male some thousands of years ufter mm ,was cr^at-
ed'f or will any man deny that this new covenantiil decre.e

K2

has Ucea made. St all ? Surely no man tkat bdiev€S tKat
there is a Gpd in heavfen, will be so presuraptuoas as to
deny that thi^ new covenantal decree has been made, and
h ^vas some thousands of years alter man was created. — -
If this new covenant has been made according to accounts
•in the scriptures, and by God himself, how will any .man
dare to say thut all things that come to pass, come by
the decree of the secret council ; but I wanttoknow which
of that secret council has been so far from keeping it a
secret ? it seems that man was not in being when that
council sat, therefore 1 want to know which of tliat coun-
cil it was that came, and told these men who hold this
decree doctrine of it r Again, itseems^ that all legislative
bodiQ«, who have power to make laws in a government,
that these bodies have power to alter somethings they
had made, and if this be the case, the first legislative
body that siit in heaven, God must have been the head
of it, when that supposed secret council was held ; if that
body did pass such a law, for such a number to ba blessed,
and all the rest lo be cursed without any conditions ; God
iTiust have .sj^en the injustice of it so clear,- that he, as a
merciful and just God has called the Son and Holy Ghost
to hold another- council, and they haye certainly altered
it, and passed a new decee, which is, that on condition
of men's repenting for their past sins, and forsaking their
sinful deeds and words, and that they wou:ld believe, obey
and follow the instrucliiGiis of his holy spirit or grace ;
that all who wOuld do so amongst all n?itions— -should be
Faved, - withoat any respect of persons* Now when is
it that mankind comes under this new law, or new cove-
nantal decree ? it is when we receive Christ into our
sods, and When our souls are espoused to him as in the
marriage coven ,nt, which is afier the manner of grace.
{iiid not after the manner of the ixSsh. All whojll'do not
kn ;w these things know nothing or a christian life, or
of living under the government of Christ ; and all Who
do • not live under his government this side of the grave,
Vpill fall short of enteringthe kingdom of God^ for no
person can enter God's kingdom before thej^ are joined
to Christ, in and -under this new covenant which i§ of
fgraee f : ^nd all who jpiri Christ, Christ has power to sai^e
iti«*jOf;^ithip\' the)r. h-«diivsd iejalV^tb^^^kk^-d&e^i' oitUe

einful ^Egyptians for many years, yet If ^nf of them wliV
only open their hearts to the knockin*^ of Cnrist's call, he
: will certainly come into them and sup with them, and they
t^n sup with Christ ; therefore the spirit and the bride
call all to come, let their sins be w^hatsoever they may
have been j nc** is the day of salvation, and all are called
to come, yea, the wicked, if he will forsake his wicked
ways, and do that which is lawful and right under the
i'new covenant; his past wickedness shall not be mention
©d in all God's kingdom any more, but for his doing that*
which is lawful and right, his soul shall be sav'ed alive ;
! therefore I with the spirit and the rest of the brides call
(^ all to come, for whosoever will give themselves up may
I eome and uke of the waters of life freely, and that with-
out money or price ; but ail that will not come must abide
by the consequences ; whil6 there are any desirous to
#ome let them come, an;T th<<t as quick as possible, for
there ought to be no delay, as the door of his mercy is to
fee shut after his merciful visitation is ever, and as his spi-
rit is not always to strive with man, 1 pray all to make
speed-in their coming, whilst his lovely arms are open to
save them. One thing mjre, let all that are willing to
oome, be aware of the entangled nature of that abhored
^ octrine, which Satan has set up in order to destroy tbe
work of regeneration, for this is what the devil, aims at,
in trying to make unregcnerated people believe, that the-
^ork of dieir salvation was done by thatalledged decree*
and no more can be done to make any alteration, for if
they are of that chosen number for rest, so it will be ;
teut if onthe other h uid^ nothing that can be done will alter
k ; b}^ this belief-Satart can hinder the work of grace in
their souls. But I will ask what such believers go to
meeting for, or for what do such preachers preach for ?
, Why do thejl tell men that they must repent or be damn-
^, or tell pe-ople that they must pray and do justly, &c.?
, Perha^js they will say thiit it is our duty to be found in the
■ »5e of means, and -so I say th»t itis the duty of all on earths
I>.it what profit will prayers or preaching, and going o
Bieeting,, baptizing, or being btiptized,' or going as they
? 'v to the sacrament-^of eating, bread and drinking winey
ijich they call the Lord's supper do? '^e^ingthat aeeord-^
u;g to tha«"deere€rd-l>^li§f^> thkt all things ior i^9m% hag-*

pimess oyfor man s curse, was done'tjy that secret council
before man was formed of the dust of the earth, and that
unalterable ; ii that was the case, let us eat, drink, and
fulfil all the desires that sinful nature calls for, let us
no more grieve at sin nor mourn at iniquity, for to-nK)r-
row we die ; then if we were of that nun.»-r that God
decreed should be saved, without any conaitions for us
as created bemgs to comply with on our part, it will be
well, if on the other hand, all that can be done by praying,
preaching, going to meetmg and every other practicable
means are without effect, as all things that comes to pass
were foreordained. Biu concerning the use of means for
man's soul's salvation — what means are to.be used if all
things were done before man was born ? Now I will ask
what are the means iiecessary for the use of man'^ soul's
salvation ? is it words called prayers, or prayer itself ac-
ceptable before God? Many* use words in the likeness of
prayer, but this is only the form of prayer and belongs to
the wicked, which is abomination to God, and it will b:r
numbered with the rest ot their wicked deeds, as blessing
God in words and c ursing of man, who was £rst made iu
the likeness of God, dots not belong to rrian and will not
be acceptable to God. But what is the real use of means,
or what is means itself ? As no man hath answ^ered me I
must answer myself : It is to use those means the physi-
cian has prescribed to be taken by those who are under
coniplaint, and who desire to be healed, the means is what
the Doctor Ix^s prepared for those disordered ones, to t?ike
and use imtil it heals them. It is not calling for means
and not using them will do, it is'using the means after
they are prepared for the sick man or womau— this is the'
use of the means, it is to recover the health cf the diseas-
ed person, as is evidem by the saying of Christ, when he
said " that the hale did not want a physician, but those
that are sick." Why should means be tised if there is an
impossibility to he cared ? What is the necessary means
to he used in healing the disordered souls cf men, which
has come upon all that ever sinned t is it the .vords of a
sinful prayer or going into the earthlv water, or is it eat-
ing bread and drinking v.ine in the meeting houses,
"vV^Tere it is said that thev did trra the supper of :he Lf;rd I
No\T al! this nvay be done and yet have no means of grace

( 117 )

in: "it, no not at all. I will now show you that caii believe
whit the means is, it is grace itself, which God the great
physician has prepared and sent mt) this world : which
means is Christ our Lord, and who3oever receive him
atid abide in him as he does in the Father, the same is in
the use of the means of grace, and no others, let their bo-
dily performances be whai they mw. Every sick soul
that receives his spirit, and faithfully follows the directions
that God has given to all that will use this holy virtuous
means, which God has administered to the saving of all
th-e souls that ever have been saved, this is all the means-
that can save or heal any soul. Now I as one who desi-
reth every soul to be saved, who have not sinned cut the
the day of God's merciful visitation, I say with the spirit
and with the bride, let all come that are willing to come ;
O ! come! O ! come ! and drink of the waters of life
freely, without money and without price, and every one
that cometh and drinketh shall be healed.

This is what I have from the Lord to teH the people,
and thus I stop on predestination^ for if people will not
believe in the free offers of grace, for man's salvation by
Christ our Lord, neither would they believe if one was to
rise from the dead ; I have called but little of the scrip-
ture, but nior« reason and justice, for if I was to give
my views and bnng all the texes of scripture, for and
against this abominable destroying doctrine, which comes
by Satan's false construction of the scriptures, I would
have to write a larger volume then the Bible itself, which
W")uld require more time than my poor circumstances
could bear, and pay the printer for doing it ; thus I by
the grace of God offer this as the widow's two mites.

Having just finished the above, I tho't I was done, but
in a few minutes I found my mind drawn and called onto
write some thing more which is as followeth*

CHAPTER X,

Of the difference betiveen reality ^ and the likeness and firm,

SATAN has transformed himself, as the Apostle say,
into the likeness of an angel of light, but as a likeness is
not tlie very thing which the likeness imitates, there m^ay

bea very dangerous mistake, va taking the likeness iristeac
of the real thing itself ; and by this mistake Satan may
make great use ot it, to hinder the saving grace of God
from its opperation in the minds of the sons and daughters
of men, especially on the minds of those people that are
aot redeemed from their sins ; yet they make use of the
form of religion, by going to meeting as tho' they went
to worship God, which no man can do without the assis-
tance of the spirit of Christ our Lord, who is and will be
the Saviour of all that are or ever will be saved ; all who
dlenieth him are no christians, neither can they be before
thev ackno vlsdgehim, that is Christ, to be their Saviour,
tvhom the father of all mercies has appointed to be the
Saviour of all that are saved, and is sufficient to save every
•ther souls, if they would be saved by him. But some,
may say how can this be true, seeing that the number
©f the lost souls that will not be saved, is compared to the
sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered by man ? Let
me tell all those that the reason of all these not being sav-
ed, is not for the want of Christ having power to save
them, neither is it for the want of his willingness to save
them, as his lamentation over Jerusalem plainly in that
comparison shows, that the reason why these are not sav •
ed, is because these lost souls would not give themselves
up to be saved by him ; and God seeing that these Vvncked
rebellious ones, would rebel against the striving of Christ's
saving spirit, forespake of them by the mouth of his pro-
phets and apostles, and because it is aforespoken of,
these would wish to lay all the fault on God and that se-
cret council, for their being separated from those who \r^
obedience to God's calling, have repented and forsaken
their sins and all their wickedness, and accepted Christ-
for their Saviour, by which thev are saved and blessed of
God, while the obstinate rebellious are cursed and sent
into that fire which was prepared for the devil and his
angels, for this fire was not preuared at first of the Lord
for the sons and daugfhters of men, but only for the proud
rebellious devil and his angels ; then vqu may say how
came men to be put there, if God did not first prepare it
for them ? If after all that has been written, you do not
know the reason of this, I once more will tell you ; the
plaia reason that caused them who are lost beings to be

50, is th€ Son of God and ttie son of per^tion, Who is
the son of the devil — it is like two young men of two dif-
ferent families, eacU having th^ir own diiferent habitations
iind fortunes, be they rich or poor, but I will say one is
rich and the other poor — the souV of man is like a young
woman who is ofanother family, and both of these young
men are desirous to marry this young worn aiv, for this
j>urpose they both court her, and that from time to time,
to get her consent to marry one of them* Now the one of
the two which she falls in love with theinost, and likes best,
she gives her consent to marry ; after she makes her
choice she marries him she chose, and then she is to go
with him, if it is the poor man she is only entitled to his
poor fortune ; and as she refused the rich young man,
who truly desired to make her his wife, but rejected him,
is the fall of this young woman's poverty and bad end,
to be charged to the rich young man, or will this young-
woman h ive any right to the rich young man's fortune,
when by her own choice she chused the poor man, wliick
brought her Into disr.ress ? Certainly you will say, that
hermiseri'is Were notprepared for her, any more than' it
was er own choice, vrh-n at the tine of courtship
the rich young mun was in earnest, and desired her tm
give her consent to marry him, which would have bro't
her to his rich possessions, where she might have enjoy*-
cd all things that could have made her happy ; in his
courtship too he told her, that if she refused his goodly of-
fer by which she wouli'f>%fwade happy, and married the
poor young man, that her lot & possession v/ould be miser-
able ; who is to be blamed for the miseries and misfor-
tunes of this youn^]f wojjun, Jid notthis come by herown
foolish chusing V So in like manner it will be with every
one, who inake eh^^ice to marry the poor son of the devil,
who hath carried them by their own chusing, to the inhe-
ritance of his father here on earth, which are ail the c vils
committed under the. Sun — this is all the devil is entiiled
to, for he is not worth one cent, e.7«cept the wickedness
of men and women, this he is entitled to, because he is
father of all wickedness. Now whence comes the pover-
ty of this young woman, does it not come of her own
chasing.^ by refusing the rich young man, after he told
h^r wkit would be $bc uonsecmence of her r^fusinA his

( I'SO )

rich offers, which he was abit to give and wovlS gjve it.
.if she would only make choice ol hirn instead of the poor
man. As ail must confess that her ipislortune can-e by
her own choice, and that she lias not any right to expect
any benefit in the rich young m_an's fortune, as by her.
own chusing she canrie to this poor and miserable inheri-
tance ; so it is, and will be, with all who malce choice of
a wieked life, and refuse a righteous one ; for'the father-
of all mercies has sent his rich son into tliis world, and he
has ofJered to make a marriage covenant, with every soul
of the sons and daughters of men, on condition that they

would refuse to do tvil and make choice of him he hath

promised on these conditions to brin^g them to his father's
kingdom, where they shall be entitled to all the riches of
his heavenly kingdom, and akho' the wicked, who will be
placed on the left, may make as strange as tho' they had
never seen Christ the rich Son of God, yet-there are none
on a serious examination, but what must confess that their
understanding, at sundry times have been opened, and
there had been at sundry tirnes '"k struggling between
good and evil in them ; for when 4:hey' were going to d«
some evil, they were visited by a thought, saying in them,
that it would ht hater not to do that evil — this witness
will rise up in all and against ^whp reject his saving
power, as long as they remain in their sins, rebellion a"d
unbelief, Christ is none of their saviour, and for this
cause they reViain in tlu^ir^^sins — altho' they may have
been baptized, it was only in tl?e water of this eartlt, arsi
not into Jesus Christ, whose spiiit is the liXingjivater that
con.es do vYti from heaven, out of whose be-Uy rivers ^pf
•living waters flow man abundant manner, towards all t|ie
sons ana c aughters of men^ — the spirit and the bripe
have been calling ail people, that have not biaspliemed
ag'.iinstthe Koiv Ghost, to come and jijirtake of the waters
of life freely, yea, without moi*ey and without ^rite ; for
it is provided nnd given freely by the great God of hea-
ven — t is is the water in m hich men are to be Baptized
in and be saved, and all who are washed in this water &nd
baptizeffinit are majde^rleaii by. the blood of the kimh,
an. are haptize<i ii* the name of the Father, Son, and
lifiyChofcL. which makes them dead * to sin, but" alive
unto God through Jesus Chnst our Lord, in whose Spirit

( ^21 )

they can truly call God their father, by the marriage co
venant, in which they are not only baptized, butaremar
tied and joined to the Son ofXjod, wherein they are join
ed in the holy spirit to the Lord, v/herefore God is not
ashamed to own them to be his children, and they are
allowed to call him their father andtheir God, through the
spirit of Jesus Christthe bride son of God. All who know
nothing of these things, are yet strangers to the redeem-
ing power of God, by Jesus Christ our Lord ; therefore
it is no wonder that they yet remaia- in their sins, altho'
they have been dipped or sprinkled with the water oi
some river, spring, branch, creek or well, and have heard
some unclean person, priest or minister say, (calling theui
by the name w^hich had been given to them) I baptize
thee, (or you) in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy
Ghost ; thus they take it for granted that they are bap-
tized in the name of the Holy Trinity. But O ! what a
mistake this often is, for ins^ad of their being baptized
into Jesus Christ, they are only so in the water of the
earth which cannot take away sin ; this is evident by the
life that somt of them kad, for this sort of baptism doe?
not save them from under the power of Satan, the king oi
darkness, whose false Itght dazles and blinds the eyes oi
his subjects, so that they remain without the sight of tlx
kingdom of heaven, and are content with the form of
worship, without having the life, spirit acd power of iL
yet they often go to the appointed and placed table, where
they receive by ihe giver, ( a preacher of some name) the
bread of this earth and the wine of the earthlv grapes,
, instead of the spiritual bread and wine of God's kingdom,
which none can recei\ e before they do believe, and -re
baptized with the baptism that burns up their sins, and de-
stroys their iniquity with that living water v.hich fluv/s
from the kingdom of heaven, and is able to cleanse them
from all uncleanness — will put away all the filths of the
fleshly mind, and give all, those that tire baptized in a; cI
with this living water, the best and most needful prep or-
ation to receive the true sncri:m«nt, which priepararion i?
the answer of a good conscience towards God, in which
they recieve the mind of Christ, and leads ihem to live
that life which keeps the consciasceyoid of ofJ"tn«e toward.'-

h -

1

( A 22 )

tiod and man; But ihousandb of those that are baptised
in and with this earthly and elementary water, used by
some priests or preachers, yet remaineth in their sins, un-
repented of and unforglven ; yet they say that they were
baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost;
but this is a great mistake, for it was in the water or with
water of the earth, being sprinkled, dipped or plunged in
it or with it, by the hand of some.priest or minister, who
said that he did baptize them in the name of the Father,
Son, and Holy Ghost ; but the child Of grown person
v/ho came or was brought to this watery baptism, did
not enter into the name, nor receive the spirit of the Fa-
• ther. Son, and Holy Ghost, by the m.inister's speaking
the above words— if those who are baptized in this earth-
,iy water do not receive the virtues of the living water,
by which all that are truly baptized in it, have their siiis
v/ashed away at the tim& of their real baptism, which is
performed by the Holy Ghost,; I say, if they do not
faring these pe];sons into the name of the Father, Son, and
Holy Ghost, as they say they do, will they not be found
Jlars and deceivers, in pretending to do what they do not |%^
thev sav that_theydo,but it is not done, as is e\ .dcntby the
fruits^they bear, for If they were in the name, that is the
spirit^ of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, they would
bring good deeds, but as long ?,s they bring evil deedsj
\rt may know thiKihevure without ihe true baptism, for all
v/ho are truly baptized, are baptized inthe cifeath of Christ
/a— are buried with him in his death, and have rose with
him from the deadly works of sin, and hav'e ascended
With hini to t)ie living work of righteousness, whose :af-
' fectians are sat ixi. heaven, above the v/orks of a eartlily
and sinful mind*

4-11 that -are truly baptized in the name of the Father,
Son, «nd Holy Ghost, are become new in the spirit of
•Christ-; as ^(^hrist is in .the I^'ather, so they are in the Fa-
ther and Holy CJhon.t—^'it'is these that are rightly prepar-
.cd to p-irtake of the supper of the Lord, and no others;
•for.no »^rs can discern the I^ord's body but them.-^
they ari^nrightly prepared to eat the Lord's 5Uppe^, and
escape the damnation that is threatened to all who eat A.m-
v/orthiiv^ hut ^tU v, ho' come to this blessed table whifh the
:Lcrd has prepared^ are wo)ct|iy ^onmunicants. and a^e

( 123 )

made partakers of the Lord's supper indeed — here are no
type or ihadow, but realitie's indeed — here they eat the
bread that came down from heaven, and drink thcAt blood
which is drink indeed — this drink gives them that spiri-

, tual life which is of the Son of God, by whom they live,
move and have their being — h,ere they eat worthily, and
can discern the Lord's body,- which none can see before
they are brought from darkness to light, even the light oi"
Che Son of God, and by walking in this light, they become
ilie children of the day of righteousness^ which they re»
eeive from the Son of God, having no other righteousness
but that given unto them by the Lcrd Jesus Christ, in
their regeneration and in tl^ieir being born again > by which
they can call G.^d tlielr father in truth and in righteous-
ness — they tell no lies, like many who have been only
bapti?!ed in this earthly v/ater, by the hand of sotiie man
•r priest, who pretended to baptize them in the name of
the Father, Son, and Koly Ghost, and gave them the
"^read of our wheat-fiour, and the wine of our gnipes,

' without the body and blood of Christ— it is evident that;
they do not receive the reality itself, but only a likeness
er resemblatjce, which cannot help the souls of those vv'ho
eat this aloue, without the body and blood of Christ,

■ Which came down from heaven to give life to all that re-
ceive it.

By the following sign, people mav knov/ those that are
only baptized in the water of this- earth, which is but a
form tind iil^eiess, and*those who are baptized in substamie
and in the nowerful name of the Father, Son, and Holy
Ghost— the first cont'''ir.e ^n their sins, and often bear
Ifiore or Itrss of the frul., H -^i- : the others have

come out of their sins, ana bjUig iorthahe fruits of tke
spirit which is begotten by Christ out' Lord', .aud iillof
them who bring forth the fruits of the spirit of Christ arv^
the children of God, andean in truth call God -

■ ther, as he really is by the marriage ofhi^son unto Li:e:ii ;
— but those who bear and bring only the fn^'s of tlie
flesh have no right to call God their father, vo ir ^i
never yet begat one chdd ; and as man i's one;- he has net
two fathers that both begat him in the first birth. So it
is with the children of men, they cannot be the children
of God, and the children of the Devil b«th at o2ie time^

( 124 )

therefore they that continue to bring forth the fruits of the
flfish are not the children of God, and every- time that
they call God their father they lie, and the trutH is not in
them, for whilst they are iii their sins they are without
the likeness of God's image, but they are in the likeness
of the Devil.

• :-5K-:'

CHAPTER XL

Cfthe truly Baptized.

HAVI7*^G just finished the foregoing chapter, before
I arose from my seat, having my pen yet in my hand, my
mind, is drawn to write some more, as necessity com-
pels me to give some further marks of the truly baptized
in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. First,
they have heard the voice of the Son of God who knocked
Tit the door of their hearts, and' they have obeyed, which
Isd them to that repentance that need not be lepented of
—secondly, they have come to Christ at his call, and have
found rest to their souls, by taking up the right cross
and learning of Christ to be meek and lowly, by which
they have learned to do justly, show mercv and walk hum-
bly with and in the presence of God— -they abhor sin and
all its ways — they grieve to hear of the prosperity of sin
m any man, people or kingdom,, but they rejoice in the
righteous fruits of grace, & in the righteousness of God^s
bride — when they can find her, they love her more than
silver ; }ea, more than abundance of fine gold,., because
she is a favourite of their God — they love God aitdallthe
things he has made for his own glory — they thank him
for all the lawful pleasures of this life, and for all the fa-
vours they receive — they know that all favours are of his
kind j>rovidence, and are truly thankful not only with their
lips and tongues, but with all their hearts — there is nc
feigned pretence in them — tender, merciful and compas-
sionate to ftil things that have life, breath and being.—'
When vou see any marked with this mark you may take
it for granted that their kingdom is not of this world,
but are heirs to the kingdom, of heaveiij

( 125 )
CHAPTER Xir.

Some marks ^Iven of those that use the for m^ instead of ths
siidatance Sf baptism,

AS I have given you some marks of the truly baptized,
I now will give you some of the marks of those, who iiave
been only baptized by the hand of some men, who dip-
ped them in the watery or poured or sprinkled it on thcin,
and being only the water of this earth, without that which
came down from heaven. Tiie infants knoweih no evii
when this ceremony is performed on them, or over them,
therefore it is no harm to those ialam babes at this time ;
but the grown persons who had been sinning beiore their
watery baptism, and remained so afterwards, is evident
by the fruits they bring forth, and is a notable mark by
which they are known. Only mark or notice the fruits
of wickedness they brin^ forth after they are baptized.
This contradicts there ever having been baptized in
the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, for if they
Were they would not bring such cnrruptable fruits. Al-
though they go to meeting, and pray and sing, and do not
cat at their table without taking that holy name in words,
as they say, to beg a blessing, and re urning wopds like
thanksgivings, as they say they call it, do not lie dowti
«n their beds without bending their knees, as tho' they
prayed to God for his merciful protection in those refresh-
ing hours, which God has prepared for the reiresbnient
ef man. O ! who v/ould not think that all of these were
truly lovers of God, and righteous people, when they see
all these zealous performances ? But after all this is done,
let as look and see the real fruits they bear, and we will
leave out their secret thoughts, which the Lord and them-
selves only know, and which would often b« put in prac-
tice, if God did not prevent them irom doing as their
thoughts and secret desires v/ould lead them to do ; but
we will only take a view of their visible fruits, which
they have borne and are bearing since they were baptized,
and used A\ their religious-like performanc^- Observe
here, how they can and do curse and swear — take God's
holy name in vain in an angry rash manner — lie for ad-
vantages — sometimes sieal and cheat, and if possible get

L 2

( 126 )

the advantage of their neighbours in estGrtions, orinfiay
other way they can do it, without bringing themselves *<)
puuiic rebuke — they gi^t cU-unk — take tneir neighbours*
wives and commit tormcation with them — defile their
neighbours' daughters — musier to learn war, by which
-they can kill and shed iheir teilow-creatures' blood in
slaughtering them, which God has made for his glory ;
for man was first made for God's glory, but the wicked-
ness of man hath turned this into grieJ — they can ojjpress
ail they can get under their power — clothe them with the
meanest dress, and feed them with the scanty allowance
of the scraps and crumbs of their tables, sometimes after
their favorite lapdogs are fed or served — rash and harsh
in speaking — often committing unmerciful deeds in a bar-
barous manner. Look at the proof of this on human
backs, which witness will rise up against them in the day
of judgment. There is but very little patience in them,
for xhey can quarrel and fight with their neighbours—
sometimes beat and abuse their wives and families —
they buy and sell their fellow-creatures for life, who
niiver broke the law of liberty by their own misdemeanors
— without ^compassion— covenant breakers, departing
from their words and promises for gain, be it as ua^
just as it may — proud boasters — inventors of evils — de?*
pisers of others that are of a better principle than their
own — pinch-guts, grudgers and starvers, to get a little
more to sell — greedy of gain, let it be ever so unjust, if
ihe law cannot take hold of them. These are some of
ihe open marks of many who make great professions of
religion, insomuch that they go through all the likeness
)f religious performances, and with a lying tongue call
God and say, Our Father which art in heiiven, hallowed
be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done
on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily
bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive our
debtors ; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver
Lrs from all evil ; for thine is the kingdom for ever. A-
men. This seems to be the end of their pretended der
vctions, in which performance they are guilty of adding
sin to their iniquity, by their hypocrisy and lies in call'
ii:g God th^ir fathier when he is not, for if God was their
' ^'tcr, they would love hitu aadkeep his commandments i

< I2f )

but the Devil is their father, as long as they do the De-
vil's works, and bring tbrtli fruits unto siii. As long as
they bear the fruits of the tree of corruption, they are
not the children of God, any more than a tiiiid begottei^
hy a negro man, and brought forth by a negro woman^
(which of course would be black) is it a whiic mun's.-i-
Where is the aian amongbt us that would own u re^l black
child to be of his own begetting t — audif this black child
was to say that such a whue man was his lather, would
it not be a lie m the saTne manner it is with those who call
God their father, when at the same time tjiey are going
on iii their sins i xiow is it when they only ask to be

forgiven as they torgive, and yet will not forgive any of
their feilow-crealures, who have only committed small
trespasses against them, which are nothing in comparison
to t'leir trespasses against God. ■:

Now those who seem to ask God'sjbi'giveness, will not
forgive a small trespass, without getting many-fold re-
;?S^enge, and then not be satishtd nor reconciled ; but will
!»pl:>r tid their fellow -creatures with their faults. Is not
tliis clearly the murk of many people of this day ? and as
a good tree cannot bring forth evil fruits, so an evil tree
xaniiot bring forth good truits ; but men and women can
in these days bring the likeness of good fruits, in such a-
bundance, that it leaves even the wisr in a puzzle, to de-
termine Ahetier they are re. 1 or pretenae!. Thus 1 have
given you some of the marks of those who are true chris-
tians, and of those who have only the bare pretence to
that worthy name ; — the number of the^e pretenders is so
great at this time, in our country, that they seem, in a
few years more, they will overrun the greatest partot it;
so much so, that there will be but very few. of the real-
followers of Christ in it. '

CHAPTER XIIL

0f a separation bctzveen the- righteous and the wicked ;■
God^s blessing on the righteous,

MY dear children, I have <Tiven you a plain description
«fthe righteous an4 c-f the wicked, i will tell you fur-

( 128 )

tlier, that the righteous are u !.ebless.ed, for thef &rt^h
ready biebsed ; yea, their very eyes are blessed of the
Lord in this vvojid, ^nd he will keep and preserve all
thd^e who truly put their trust in him — ^and ail who truly
put their trust in nim ; are now only living and waiting
on nim for his second call, to enter into the eternal joys
of their Lord ; bat the wicked are already sepanUed
irom any real enjoy mcnts-which God gives to thejrighte<;us
in this life ; and if now separated, what separation wifl
they meet with hereafter, when the righteous Lord calls
all that have been, all that are, and all that are yet to be
born together, to give- an account of their deeds in this
life, at his judgment seat ; where Christ will pro-
claim the blessed state of the righteous, by proclaiming
them to be his sheep ; which he will set on his right hand,
and call them into thejoys of their Lord* But O ! the mis-
erable and dreadful separation that will now take place,
between his sheep and the sinful goats, whom he, (the
Lord) will separate from all joys, and place them on his
left hand ; and tell them to depart into the everlasting
lire, which God did not at first prepare for men, but fof
the Devil and his angels ; but as these wicked men and
women chused him (the Devil) to be their king, so thejl
aaust go to his place w^ith himo

CHAPTER XlVa

All 7?:Grried men ought to keep a right authority^ and love
God more than their wives

I really thought that 1 had finished all I intended to

i^rY'ne ; but I have been nearly two weeks plunged int6

the deepest sorrow and grief, so great^ that my bodily
life was ro pleasure to me. My grief took its first rise
from that quarter which hurts my feeling above all things
®n earth ; for I am a man ol lo;ire, and that of a sin-
cere kind, towards my God and all his precious gifts ;
but above all, (save three and one of the three is the pre-
€ious gift of the Holy Ghost, who is the teacher of all
good) I say, that I love a wife — a woman, more than
any other gifts of God in this life ; (saving the ihree be*

f 129 )

fbre mentioned) they are and oight to be b'jloved b)'' alt
men, and not misused by any. But altbo' I love a ^vo-
man above all tain.^s, (saving three) yet my ^ief has beea
occasioned by them more than by all the other gifis of
God ; — for love & peace are the riches of my life, Sc when
I am robbed of those riches, I have nothing of God's
earthly gifts to take pleasure in-, until I can find my riches-
again.

My dear sons and daughters, I pray you to use all the
gifts of God with love and thanksgivings for all God's
gifts are given freely of the Lord to make your lives hap-
py in this world ; therefore use all God's gifts to increase
your happiness in this life. It was to make man happy
in this life, that God bestowed so many gifts for man's
happiness so freely. M-i^ditate and think on God's kind
providence in giving so many things to nourish us in this
world. Consider how much all of you are in duty bound
to love and- thank God for all his precious gifts. Never
do any thing that will grieve his Holy Spirit ; for the love
of his Spirit are the riches and J03/S of all his saints and
holy angels— as it is thus^ I pray you all to walk in the
path of love to God, to one another, and to all human be-
ings — unto the beasts of the earth, and to all things that
breathe with the breath of life. Do not bring any design-
)^d distress on any thing that can feel a sense thereof. -
• IVTy dear sons, I command you to love and be kind to
your wives, because they are God's gift to be your com-
fort and pleasure in your lonely hours ; yet do not love
them to sin, by obeying^or humoming them before God,
as many men have done to their own ruin ; but love them
with tenderness and kindness. Walk in the wa^^ of the
Lord, that- is, the ways he has commanded men to walk
in ; — never be enticed to do any thing unjust or unholy>,
to satisfy the desires of your wives, but fear the Lord and
keep that lawful authority which God has given you, to
• jEule over all who live under your care»

— ^wai»<^ HI— I

CHAPTER XV.

Second charge tojny Daughters^ to discharge their duties
in Uve to G$d and their husbands,

MY dear daughters, I pray vou all to dis<^-'>arge
vGur duties in love to God, who is head of all, and. to be

(. rso

Ifonoiired, sensed and obeyed above all ; this is your first
duty. Your second duty is to love your husbands, honor
and obey them in all their just and lawful requests or
commands. I say, obey your husband as head cr king,
as God has made him such over his own family, and you
are in duty bound to do so. L.ove your husband with all
^nderness and kindness — do not withhold any pleasure
from him, by staying unnecessarily from his company, aS
practised by many married women, for the pretended
sake of seeing their kindred, &c. Never suffer any other
man on earth to come nigh thy husband's particular trea-
sure, made and committed by God to thy care, to keep-
safely for the glory of thy husband. Consider how many
unhappy families there are on earth at this time, and you
will find that all happened by the want of care to avoid'
the evil desires of a carnal mind, and the want of a faith-
ful discharge of their duties towards God & their husbands ,
I command you all, my dear daughters, to love God —
your husbands — -your children, and all feeling things un-
der your care ; and if kind providence gives you ^by
your Ijejl^ful endeavours) plenty to live on, pray to God to
give you a heart with power to live on what he has given
you ; — do not like some other women, v;ho often fttd
their families with the meanest and 'scantiest meals, and
if at' any time there happeneth some pleasant breads o^
other provisions sat on their tables, they wmII look With an
envying eye at those who are eating, and sometime^-
snatch it away and say, '* be not like gluttons and hurt
yourselves." Poor evil eyed creatures, who will say, " I
want som.e left for to-morrow — do not cut the loaf, ther^
IS enough without^ — here is a piece of the old loaf, ' (^6^
pone) it is good enough — it must be eaten — it must not be
thrown away to the dogs ;^' altho' the poor dogs look as
if they were in the most starving state, yet they are
only allowed a scanty share of crumbs, and are not
to have any of the old loaf, which is perhaps beginning
to mould, so much so, that a well fed dog would scarcely
taste it, yet some poor pinch-guts will make their fami
lies eat it or do without. Look at these poor pinch-gut
ted women's dogs, they look as if they had no belly, thev
are so starved that they must die or seek for food some
where else^ O my dear daughters fies from all thefee

< 13 1 )

^boTninatlons-'-try to use your skill and undcrstam^itt^;
in making your families happy with your love and jusi li-
berality — let your eyes look to all they need — use all
things under your care with tenderness — ihank God lor
all things in your power, which he in his kind providenie,
has given you for your comfort & support, and let nothiii^
be lost or wasted by your idleness or neglect.

CHAPTER XVr.

Of the necessity to walk in the love and fear of God — of the
three friends and three noisy thmg-s o?i earth,

MY dear* children, I hope that by this time yoti know
.that it is necessary to walk in the love and fear of God,
this I again recommend you to do, and also to give no
offence lo any on earth or heaven — try to live that inno-
cent life, that will preserve the great friendship of the
three friends prepar*.^d for us in this life — be not wicked
in any thing that will break and destroy the friendship of
these three friends, for mankind have but these
three friends in this life, and it is dangerous for
.them, by bad condact to loose the friendship of any
-tOne^qf these three. Thinking that you want to know wh©
these three friends are, and I willing that all should know
.theui, I will tell you that God is one of them, being the
\iiead over all ; tiie second is mankind, and the third is
the beasts of the earth. It is dangerous for any person
to give oifeuce to any of them, either in heaven or earth.
In .ie;n en iher are hre« orthy of glory j they are the
♦jFather, Son, and Holy Ghost^-on earch there is but one
v/orthy of p'-aise ; that is the goodness of God and "of
tbose that dwell in it. There are but three things oa
earth that make any noise ; they are fire., water and air ?
f:ake thes hree things away, aa»:l all would be as silent as
the grave— if we could keep these three things in subjec-
tion to the law of God, we should never sin~a measure
' of these three things is both in man and beasts, and thro'
>-he wisdom of God, who has place-d those. three different
<^lements in us, we are kept in life to do his will on earth,
■^as it is done in hciveiu There is no allowance made by

r

< ISS )

thelvord for us to sin with these three gifts, but if we are
so unwise as to sin, the Lord has prepared a work for us
to do, which is repentance towards God, and faith in Je-
6US Christ, whom if we will receive, he has promised to
ibrgive and receive all who will call and return unto him,
'^ith true humiliation of heart.

CHAPTER XVII.

Do not forget the commandments of the Lord.

MY dear children, take care that you do not forget the
commandments of the Lord as many do, particularly the
one by which we are commanded to do to others as \i.ti
would they should do unto us. Do not think that other«
ought to serve you any more than you should serve them,
for my part I believe that there is more honor in serving
than to be served ; and I do not think myself in any ways
above the poorest man on earthy, or even above the
poorest debased negro, if he has good principles ; yet I
think myself as good as any of the kings on earth or their
nobles, for if their principles are no better than mine, thej
.cannot be any better than myself. But pride has sat itself
up to be a master, and its opinions are followed by i#any ;
this you may plainly see by their conduct, for they want t»
be served, and not willing to serve. Notice how they
will call on another to come and do, or go and do this or
that thing, who is not as able to do as they themselves-,
but if they were to do to others as they want others to do
to them, they would be more like Christians and brethren
thun they are. Look at the young men calling on the
grev-headed or sickly, to go or come and do this or that,
when they are much more able to do it themselves, they
will suffer thirst before they will go to the well or spring
fcr water to quench it ; nay, they will suffer cold, before
they will lay their hands to carry wood to make them-
seives a fire with ; but they will wait for the aged or
pooiiy, or call them to do it. Thus you may see that there
is only iew but what are willing to be waited on, but they
ar-:; not willing to wait on others as they are willing thi^t
txhers should waii on them*

C 133 )

My clear children, keep yourselves from such unjust
dealings, do not think thiit you are above waiting on your-
selves ', but if through age, sickness or disability you
cannot do so, then it will be lawful for you to get some
other person to wait on you. As this is often the case in
this country, I pray you to consider the toil andhardshi[>
of those who may be called to do the business, or waiting
on you, which your inability requires — bo patient and in-
structive towards all hireling servants — be kind and give
them their full wages without delay, by pctying them what
is just and right j yea, if it is by a double reward, it shall
not by money lost ; but the righteous Lord shall make it
a blessing to you, and in that blessing you shall be made
whole for your generous dealings with your hireling ser-
vants — do not forget theories of the poor labourers, for
some have been defrauded, and these will cry to the
Lord that he may see justice done unto them.

Thus I end my advice to my children, and to all my
dear fellow-creatures, who I trulv desire may so liv^e as
^e gain an inheritance with the saints in glory, Amen.

Ail written by me,

PETER CLEMMONS, Senr.

i6th dav of the 9ch m.onth, 1811.

CHAPTER XVIir.

"^hs danger of stoplng short of entering the hohf land^ and
of receiving' the image of God again,

'i5th of <^th months 1811.
BEING in my private room, my soul was covered
with the spirit of prayer to my God, that it would pi ase
him to separate all mankind from their sins, and jzatbtr
them in his holy kingdom of peace and love. In these
tender moments of God's merciful visitation to Uie, my
thoughts were turned again to my dear children, to give
tbem a more particular advice to shun all evils j least they
should stop short of entering the holy land, and set down
to rest before they got to the land of hoiint , -.ere
Chriat and hia saints live, in the sweet harmonious love

M

'J

( 134 )

4.f God ; for there is no safe resting place before we reacts
this blessed land. Having great reason to fear that thou-
sands that are called to come out of Egypt, and actuallv
sat off to travel out of it — do leave off some of the most
shameful part of their sinful labours, and find themselves
freed from some of the m.ost heineous crim.es, they suf-
fer themselves to be deceived, either willingly on igno-
rantly ^ and because they have travelled from the worst
of open sins, and gone so far in the right way a§ to be
noticed by some society, they travel on until they enter a
place called the outward court, and as soon as they get
there, they fix their tents therein with contentment and
Z- al, and never advance any further towards the holr
land ; for here they get a name to live amongst the out-
ward worshippers — amongst a-set of anti-christians, wh«
acknowledg'e the name of Christ, but do not depart from
al! evils-^the.y have got no further than the crafty hea-
then'can come — here^ they are, and here they are only fix-
ed under a more moderate bondage ; and finding them-
selves under a more moderate service to sin, they will
hardly believe that many of their unclean and unholy
de/ids, or words, ar^ offensive to God. When they are
repL.Qved by those who continiie faithful in their jouriM.y,
and will not stop ro worship until they pass the place call- .
ed the regenerating waters, in which they wash until'" they I
are cleansed from all their uncleininess, and until they l
enter the gates of the holy land into the inward court,
where they join the true worship of God ; ye^, I say '
some, and not only some of tlie outward worshippers,
ivhta reproved by the iaithful ones^ will scarcely be ieve
that tl.cir fruits is sin ; nay, they will not believe, but
sa}" in an^\A er to the reprover, "if tarn never guiity of _
wor&e xleed-s than this or that, I shall not be afraid to die ;
and if this or that is sin, God help the world, for no body
will 1>^ saved ;'* many of the«e will also say, ih.it S^ lo-
jnon said," that ther« was a tiiVie for all things, and that
such a one did so and so, and wds he not a good man ?"
O my dear children, flee from al th»^s€, and from ^W
ih'/-x counsel ; and never stop short of entering the luAy
i?nd. Be not deceived by Satan's false dreams, for he j
■wil' fftve VOM manv of them if you n ill receive theni* Hy '
tl'asc drtAJns you will find ^---t you aregrea^^'^" 'v^'^vpri ]n

( IS-; >

rour ways, and that you are as righteous as any of your
aeij^hbours — that voii can pray very well — so well, that
5^ou will be proud & lifted up ; nay, you will dream and
think that it is so — that you are better than such a one,
and be deceived so far as to make you think or say,- that
vou would not be so bad as such a one Or such a one, for
all the world— he will give you in his dreams a sight of
the sins and unclean deeds of others ; but he will l/ide
all yours from your eyes. Take care, my dear children,
for in tender momeiats I w^as brought to fear, least you
should be deceived, and stop short of eiUering into the
holy land : therefore I must give you som.e of the names,^
^f places that are dangerous for you to camp at, nt)r to
i'aise your tents near thereto.

Dear children, God is *a just, merciful, loving and
^ood God ; in his image he created man in the beginning,
Sut by man's transgression he lost it ; he cannot find this
precious image again, unless he enters the holy land ; for
God has called his image out of all unholin^ss, and hath
f>laced it in the land of holiness, and all who are desirous
receive it again must ^o to the holy lan<l, before they
, can receive or have it restored to them agfiin. All whD
go to the grave before they receive the image of God
again, in which man was first created, will be found nak-
ed and without the wedding garment in futurity j for the
imag6 of God was the first garment that man v^hs^ finu
clothed with, and as long as he kept it in obedience to
God, he knew no shame ; bat by sinning, he stripped
himself, and cast the holy garment away and became na-
ked* by which he v/as brought to know shame* But now
there are so many in the habit of going naked so longv
that they are not ashamed, to be found without thi^
righteous garment, which is the image of God »— -they
, have gone naked so long, that if they can get the fig-Ieat
>co\ ering they make it do ; — there are so many of this
sort of people, that one is not ashamed of another^ and
here stop short, set down and rest by the way, without
getting to the place where they might receive the image
of God. O my dear children, let nothing satisfy you un-'
til you receive the image of God — remember my descrip-
tion of it, and never stop your spiritual travel unjil- voa
' ceive it, and that from the hand of the Lord ; for up

( 135 )

other can give It to you. Therefore mind that you-
do not stop where there is injustice of any kind, but pass
by and go c« to the place of true justice ; for many stop
short at that unholy place called injustice, where much
thereof is committed to both mp^n and beasts — you must
not stop here, but go on until you come to the place
•where the just image of God stands. In this place of
justice men are not only just in paying their contracted
debts ; but they are so in ail things — to all men and to all
beasts that come under their care and power. In thir
place where the just image of God is to be found, the
black man has an equal right with the white man— -there
is no respect paid to colour — neither any one (in this jur :
place) eat of the forbidden fruits of injustice in any kinc
of action committed against man or beasts, without sui
fering death : this is the law of the holy land — as soon a:,
any one eats of these forbidden fruits, he or she loose:
the life of the just image of God, and their eyes will b-
brought to see their nakedness, and feel the loss oftb-
image of God ; I mean their own loss, for they will be
stripped of the image of God, and that image will be re-
turned to its holy place ; there to be kept pure and holy
forever — no unjust people shall be clothed with this holy
garment ; Stall who lose it will become naked, altho' they
may make themselves fig-leaves aprons, and clothe them-
selves with empty professions — put on the robe of bap-
tism in or with earthly water, and all the ornaments worn
by the unjust at the communion table — with all the fine
superfluous words called prayer— with their ejaculated
grace, and their pretended thanks, which they are so par- .
ticular to wear at their tables ; \et after all these gre;>t
preparations, they will be found naked whensoever they
eat of the forbidden fruits of injustice, and musjt taate
death ; '^ for out <f the holy paradise he must ttistc death
before'the flaming sword will suffer him (or her) to taste
of the tree of life any m.ore."

Thus, my dear children, be on your guard, and be not
enticed bv false friends, to stop and. pitch your tents near
the borc^ersof the land of injustice ; for no true christians
live there ; but all the inhabitants of this unholy place, are
heitbens mixed wiih anti-christians, who are willing to be
called christians ; but are not wiiliDg to put away the^un-

( 137 )

jtist gains they make in many ways, especially by taking
the whole h\bour of other men away, and putting it to
their own use, by which they are lifted up and must be
called masters 7 and they who labo^ir to support their
greatness are only called slaves, and are bought, and
sold, and dealed by as such — some of these masters are
not as kind to them, as the law was to' the ox in the days-
of Israel, for that law did not suffer the mouth of the ox
to be muzzled ; but some of these ornamented pretenders^
ha- e nmzzled the month oi the ; cor ailiicteci black people,
(which they call slaves) by putting locks and gags to their
mouths, which prevents the poor sufferers from eating orf
te bread of their own labour, &. whith came by the sweat
of their own faces, driven out by the severity of their
masters, mistresses, or unmerciful overseers, these poor
men (who they call slaves) are sold at pleasure, as tho'
God had m.ide part of the human beings to be lords, S<: the
other part to be slaves, and be robbed by their lordly mas-
ters of the labour of. their hands, and ail things that is
Bear and dear to a free white man.

Omy dear children, let this speak to you all when my
body is laid in the silent grave ; and as you are not to
stop your travel until you get to the just image of God — •
you must also not stop until you see the merciful image
of God ; for justice and mercy are two of the members of
God's image ; therefore you must pass by the borders of
unmerci fulness, for all wfto stop here and stay in this
plcice of unmercifuiness until the dav we ca'ii deati-, are to
havejudgment without mercy ; for tht-y who stop in this
cruel place, are enemy to. God, to man, and to the beasts
— committing unmerc ful deeds, by I eating and a!)us:'njr
both men and beasts mider their power ; and altho' they
are guilty of so much cruelty^ (for a pretence) they will
go to meeting, preach, pray, sing, and call one another
christians, and desire that others should call and believe
them to be such. But they are not christians of the true
Christ of God almighty, biu the worst of deceivers and
hypocrites in this world.

If you w^ant to be in joy, peace and happiness in this
world & hereafter^ you must pas8 by this great city of un-
luercifulness — be not enticed to stop near or within some

M 2

( ^38 )

thousands of miles of this-oiii-frdcring city, for all who Mve^
therein or even within the suburbs, are strangers to the
love of God, which is love to every thing, (sin only ex-
cepted) for God hates sin and every evil deeds of those
who hate any of the work of his holy hands, be it to man
or beasts ; bur if any of you, my dear children, should
get within thesiaful gates of this unmerciful city, let your
immediate cry oy to the Lord of mercy, to send his pow-
erful spirit to take you out of this most dangerous place ;.
you must also pass on from this sinful city, and goon un-
til you come to the promised land, where you will receive
^e just, the mercitul, and the lovely image of God — after
receiving this, it will be easy for you to obey God's ci^m-
mandmentSj for then you can from your hearts love and
pity all those who wrong you, and forgive all men who
trespass against you, in the same manner you prayed to
God, in what is called the Lord's pra}er, .to forgive you
— you can aho bless those who curse you, and pray that
God may continue his mercies towards those v/ho spite-
fully use you — that it would please the God of all mercies
to redeem those poor sinful captives of Satan, and bring
them to the enjoyments of the sons and daughters of God,
love and peace ; yea, I say it v/ill be easy for you to for-
give these poor sinful, ignorant, abusive creatures ; for
once vou get to the holy iand, and receive the image of
God, you will be delivered from the desire of revenge,
or for those poor creatures to have any suffering re w^ard
to come on them for the w^rongs done by them unto you ;
vea, instead of wanting any revenge on those who have
abused or transgressed against you, your hearts v;ill
mourn over their dangerous state, and in your mourning,
the spirit of prayer will be given you by the lovely image
of God — you will fervently pray that it v/ould please God
to forgive and save them from all their evil ways ; thus
you will feel v/ell under the covering of God's just, mer-
ciful and lovely image, v/hen the poor injurious persons
will feel themselves much mortihed and miserable. O
ray dear children, I pray you all, and all others v/ho may
read or hear this, to lay it up in your hearts ; I also give
you all xaution, least you should stop in or near thQ last
dangerous place, which is named '-'- badness of any kind ;'' '
diis is anouble Bams ;-'«-tbsr€fore de n^^ forges it* for

C 139 y

feav you should stop there — the inhabitants theteof are
ali bad, in words or deeds^ and will not believe that many
ot their bad words and deeds are sin ; for even some of
their ministers, will plead that there is no harm to kill-
men in a defensive war ; yet many of these defenders
give the first offence — they wiil allow- privateering, which
is as bad as any robbery on earth — for what is the differ-

* ence between robbmg on land or on sea ^ ought there nofe<>.
to be a^ much justice done on sea as on land^ and why
should an honest man be robbed of his allat sea, because
he lives and has his residence in another nation ? — is he

\not a human being, and if he was even a beast instead of
a man, he would be entitled by the just law of God, to
what he had got by his honest labour. Woe be- unto him,
(or them) that by craft or villainy, take any thing, from
any one, by land or by sea ; for not one ot these priva-
teering robbers, shall escape the righteous judgment of

, God, any more than our land robbers, which (if catched)
arv- to be put to death. Their ministers say it is no sin
to buy and sell black people and make them slaves for life,
justifying themselves by Noah's sinful expression in curs*
i^g Canaan his own grandson ; and the apostle clearly
shows Noah's error in two cases ; — first his drunkenness
— secoiidiy, his unauthorised expression in cursing his
vn grand son^ which was certainly wrong; for out of
the sanije mouth man blesses God and xiurses man made
after the similitude of God, and ought not to say that it

. is imp ;5sible to be right in the sight of God, even by con-»

I vincing compariscms ; but the devil tried to overcome
Christ by making use of the scripture, therefore it is no -

- wonder if these deceived ministers deceive the bad inclin-
ed people, who are not willing, to part with their unjust
^ ns for Christ^s sake-'-*-! say, it is no wonder they de-
ceive their followers, by putting a wrong construction oil
the scriptures : for two of the greatest evils committed
on earth,. (except blasphemy against the Koly Ghost) are
upheld both in words and deeds by this sort of mi-nisters,^
who love that unjust gain which God, Ciirist, and all his

' righteous saints have and v/ill condemn ; that is, by mak-

4' slaves of the unborn before they transgress, do any

iiarni^ or forfeit the bonds of their just freedom, which

T>xi manor* earth has a right to take firosa another hefor-j

C 140 )

itis forfeited by some misdem manors — nor ought tlie child^ ^
to suffer for the father's sins, b) liaving his fittdom taken'
from him by force, by the authority of an uiijust law .
which sanctions the unjust to btli his fellow -creatures' .
for life, and that from generation to generation, to be j
beaten at pleasure by all, either old or young, to gratify- "
their passionate natti-re. All this avid many more evils,-_
are sat forth as examples by some of these preachers,, to- ;
their hearers ; and as long as this is their examples and' •
precepts, it will be a miracle if any of their followers leave :
this dangerous bid city. But my^ dear children and^

■'others, ^I pray you all to pass by this dangerous place^ '
for thev who stop within and die there, will fail short of ■
entering God's rest, and will be found naked and without I
the righteous garment of God's image, when the king of j
heaven comes to see the justs at the marriage oi his son - j
Christ our Lord. O! do not stop there or any where J
near that sinful place, altho' there is all kind of enchant- ^
ing musi-c to draw your attention — Isave the very borders
thereof, and pass on until you arrive to the fourth station
of life into the promised land ; there you will receive tlie
ifnage of God again, and be m de alive to him through
Christ our Lord — ^being clothed with the just, merciful
and lovely image of God you will be prepared for his glo
jy for evermore. Amen.

Until you receive these four parts, (v*fz;) justice, mer=
cy, love and goodness, (which is the garment of grace)
I'sav, until you receive this blessed garment, never cease
your spiritual trrtvel; forit is thr)sewho hold out to the end '
in a righteous life, that are to,be saved- and no others-—

,none sh 11 dwell with God & Christ but those who have th s-
holv garment — no hypocritical garm.ents shall stand before
God in his glory. So look to yourselves and to the Lord^.- |
for I think that I now have discharged my duty, by writ-
iirg what has laid on my mind many years ; that is, some
part of the foregoing, the other occured while I was
writing.

Written bv me, (your father) and finished this 25th
i^y of the 9th month, 1811.

PETER CLEMMONS, Ssnr^

( 1^1 )

CHAPTER XIX.

Encouragement ta Shiners to come to^ Christ and be

Saved,

MY mind does not feal satisfied, for which f write
the following lines to emcourage sinners of all ages, to
come in the days of God's mercy and serve him by obey-
ing hjm, and walking in the blessed counsel of that o;)ick-
eh spirit, which teaches us to deny all ungodliness and
the world's lusts— to live godly, righteously, and soberly
in this present life ; and as we have Ciirist's word that
all sins and blasphemies shall be forgiven, except th^
one against the Koly Ghost, le^i^ come, be his or her
sins ever so numerous, let them come to Christ, the light
which enlighteneth all that come to the kingdom of God
~-all that cometh Christ will not cast off without granting
their requests, as far as it is agreeable to the will of God.
For your encouragement let me tell you, that from u
child I had a secret love towards righteousness, but be-
ing raised in a part of the world, where there was but
little to be seen besides wicked examples, I was drawn
into many sinful deeds and words, to my great grief
when I came to have a right mind given to me, by the se-
cret visitation of the Lord,

I was born in the year of our Lord (as I have been
told) 1749, and from the time I was capable of knowing
the vanities of this life, I was pleased with many of them,
until I attained the age of three or four and twenty years ;
though in this time I had many secret visitations from
the Lord, calling on me to depart from my sins ; but I
did not obey him until I arrived at that age, then his mer;-
ciful visitation operated with great power ; not by tn«
voice of men;, but by his own voice, at which I then did
not harden my heart, but was humble before the Lord j
my soul was g^reatly grieved when I looked back and saw
what a sinful creature I had been, to sin against so gra-
cious and merciful a God, in doing and saying whati
ought not to have done or said, and in leaving undone
what I ought to have done. I continued in my grieving
and mourning, until the following date, when I had a
dream or vision, which 1 will here relate for the encour-

( 142 )'

agement of poor distressed sinners, to come to Cfrfst,
who has pron^ised to forgive, or have 'forgiven, nil sins
and blasphemies which they in igriGrance have commhted
against the Son of Man.

CHAPTER XX.
BREAM OR VISION,

Wludi happened on the SQth nig-ht ofthej^rst m&nth.
CGlIcd J'anuar'ij', 1777*

THIS night I separated myself from all company ; and
liad a dream or vision : — It appeared to me that thert
v^as a famine in the land, but myself and some other per-
son, (but I knew not who it was) had a small table with
bread and some other eatables ready cooked on it ; I had
faith, and called people to come and eat, I called often
and loud, and told them that the bread would never fail ,
many came and did eat, but some seemed not to believe.
After this there appeared to be a great want of clothing,
but I and another one had a small store of clothing, and
in the same manner I called the people to come end be
clothed, but they seemed slow incoming, I called louder,
and many people came and were clothed ; after th«s I
went before them to goto the promised land, and they
followed me ; we had a vast swamp to cross, even like a
\vilderness and there was no road through it, but I clear-
ed a way for the people, even very "great trees I cut
flown with one stroke and put them out of the way by the
power of faith, and the people followed miC. After we
got throik^h the wilderness, we came to the promised
land, I stood in the gate th^. reof and gave the people a
charge concerninof every man's profession ; I told t'^em
that ever\' one might know the portion of his inheritance
by finding; his own name written on the door of the horre
ofhisown profession ; &the people wei^t into the prom'sed
land, I also went in, ever into tVt city, and thert -v>as a
great store of goods in every room, and thus it snded*

( us )

CHAPTER XXr.

SECOND DREAM OR VISION,

Which happeiied on the IQth night of the 3d month called
March^ in the year of our Lord 1782.

I saw three men which I thought were in the spirit o^
drunkenness, I spoke to them to depart from me until
they were sober or clear of their drunkenness ; and then
to return to me again, and one of them seemed thankful
for my advice/' After this I saw David Young, a mem-
ber of the Methodist society, go amongst a number of
peaple, and said Young and the people seemed to be at
prayer, after the manner and custom of the Methodist so-
ciety; after they were done praying, David Young told
them in my hearing, that while they were praying in this
manner, they thought they had peace — after this he rose
and said that their peace was a false peace, and that their
prayers were in the way of will-worship, that is to say,
in man's own will 'and time : immediately I sav/ this
multitude turn after the Devil, and it appeared to me thit
-they would all be destroyed in a few minutes, with ever-
lasting destruction ; this sight laid me under an unutter-
able concern of mind and grief of spirit, which caused me
to go amongst them ; but my soul was so troubled that I
could only say three or four times to them, awak: ! a-
wake ! My concern for them grew so great that I cried
grievously, and wept very loud with great sorrow of
heart, after this it passed away and 1 slept. But 1 saw
these people a second time turn again *after the Devil,
and t appeared to me as if the Lord won id destroy them
in a few rfiinutes, which filled me again with unn.tterahle

)rrow ; I v/ent amongst them, but my sorrow grew so
great that 1. could not speak to them, I broke '~ut in cry-
ins: ^"^^ w :e;-ing so lo'id, that it awakened .Y'^ wfe who
was asleeri by me ; she called and awaked me, hwx did
not tell her what I had seen. I went to sleep afrain im-
mediately, a'od dreamed thai I was telling my wif^ and
some other women what I had seen, and it appeared as
^f it took some eftect on them \ I awaked, got np, went
,Out of dooi's and presented myself before the Lord. I
*:^^eniiiito my lioussj l.iid down on my bed again, bat

( lU )

sleep seemed to be far from me ; however, I laid still
and considered on what I had seen — after a while 1 went
to sleep again, when another dream or vision appeared to
me ; — I was taken up in the air between heaven and earth,
while in the air I looked in a house through a door, where
I saw my wife and others ; I spoke to my wife and went ^
in, while there, tear came on me, as the fear of thos€
who think they see a spii it, but presently was delivered
from it — I went out of the house to fight against the De-
Til, who appeared as a devouring beast, I had some sort
of wei^Dons with- which I fought the Devil with — I fought
him with great courage, until I overcame him ; he then
transformed himself to another colour, but I knew him
and fought him until 1 overcame him again, and thus he
continued transforming himself, until he appeared so
near like Christ that some who were by, beholding me
fighting him spoke to me, and believed I was fighting
against Christ ; yet I did not mind what they said, for
I knew that he waa not Christ, altho' he had appeared in
so many shapes and colours, sometimes almo&t white* — •
After I had overcoij e him in all his appearances, then »
Christ appeared to me in white, and I knew him, I was
then put m authority, and a weapon from the Lord was
given to me, that I might go and separate the righteous
from the wicked ; I went in one place to do so, thers
were three sorts of people — one sort I was to shew n-^
mercy to, but 1 was to destroy them with the weapon that
was given unto me ; — another sort of people were favour-
ed so far as to be put by themselves, that if they would
tur I & bti-comefuUy righteous, they should 'J » be accept-ed
and admitted amongst the righteous ; — in this place there
were a great many people, but I found but very few that
were fully righteous — I then ' went to another place to
separate, where th-re were als(* many people, but ui^ongst
them all I found but two or three that were fully righ-
teous. By the following means I was to know them one
from another — the righteous were clothed all in white,
from the sole of their feet to the crown of their heads —
those who had no white on them, were those that were-
to \)t destroyed and have no m^rcv ; but such that had
some white on them, were put .in a place by themsdves,
tiiatif they would becoixie fully righteous, they should be

C 145 )

^...-^^.^u. Of ifiis sort of people there was a great many,
which I aj)prehended had not sinned cijt their days of
grace j yet they were not suffered to be with the right-
eous ; one of this sort of people I observed was ait in
white except his feet, he hid them for fear I should see

ythem, but I knew by his hiding them that he was con-
demned. Just then I awaked, and found that it was da}»»
ii^ht ; this left a great concern on my mind, so muc''

»that I wrote it down the same day.

CHAPTER XXII.

A ietter^-hin^^ my reasons xvhy Ileftihe Methodist society.

ABOUT fourteen days after my last dream or vision,
X received 'a letter from a member of the Methodist so-
ciety, which letter I brought with me from, the State of
Delaware, to -Guilford county, in North -Carol in a. Ic

was ray intention tq have it printed with my answer to

my sorrow I have lost it ; it being so muny yeai-s, since
■it was written, that by some means or other it got out of
iny possession, for I have dilligently searchLd'amQnn-3t
aii my papers and could not find it ; and as 1 omnot Re-
member the contentsof it verbatim, I cannot ha^e it print-
€d, altho' I would much rather, for then both side? of t->^-^
question would have been seen, at once j and all who
might have seen or heard the wWe, might have i; tVcd
^ themselves ; all I can say is, that I had foinedihe
Mrthodist society and left them, so thai manv'peopk^
vvantid to know my reasors for coino- <^r^ 'bi-t d'd
;^ot give them until Ueceiy d a |ettt:r1f=o ?a ni^ruher-
^tthat society requesting U^.em,' ar.d rny answer is c^s
ioliows :

DEAR FRIEND,

I received, the letter seiit by thee to me tliis day •—

.::reforeIbelieve.itismy duty u. return th-^c- an an-

^swer, touchuigtLe things whereof thou ban writter -for

U appears to me that thou belit^vest, that I am in a s^ate

olrtudlion thraugh Ignorance, and not thiough know-

%

f 146 )

ledge, as written by thee. But my dear friend, thoii
clost not see as I see, which makes me appear to thee and
iiri'iny people, as Christ did to the people in times of
old, 'which caused some of them to say unto him, ''how-
long dost thou make us doubt ? if thou be Clirist t.)! us
ph».iL\iy." .1 also perceive that fear and doubts have arisen
amongst you, because I have left the visible ways of men,
that I might more fuHy follow the way of the spirit, (that
13 Christ Jesus) of whom I have received^more, since 1
^^ave up the Class-paper, than I ever had before. But
this is a hidden mystery which some cannot see through*
I have left the outward discipline, the greatest part of
v/hich is sat up by men, for the purpose of living under
the governmer^t of Christ Jesus, to be joined to the dis-
cipline that is invisible, and set in our heart^ through
ihe wisdom of the Father by Christ Jesus, who is- sat
.over all God's bles&ed, for evermore, Amen.

My dear friend, it se^ms to me that it is believed by
^omeoflhe Methodist members, that I \ only received
Christ, by bearing some of their preache?^ or members ;
iUatis to say, that some of them were the instruments
^f God who^has caused me to turn from darkness to light
h\xi my <lear friend, I g^ve thee and all others whomighi
.ask me, to understand that 1 have called things to remem
brance, and cannot remember that I huve ^ received, ,ot
ever was convinced in any thing, by any of them, of what
I now know and f^el ; yet it seem.s that thou and som.s
.others of thy soriety, supposeth that I had not put oa
Christ befori I saw and heard them, and which makes^
tht'-m to want to examine me where Irecei^ ed Christ.— ^j
JBut i hereby certify to thee, my friend, that I had recejv-^
\cdC^^»i^. I a considerable time before I ever saw or heard'
any cf the Methodist society^— I received him notof meij^^
Jjut from hirtibythe Father ; and as I received bim h^
jgnve me power to walk in him ; sfid as i continued in}
him he became my saviour—^s ived me from, darkness andj
ih€ wo'-iis thereof — ^ftrr that 1 feh a moving in me tc
?t\ard.m>\ brethren, which caused me to go and call then:
to reper*' i ce. i h?s I did soiiaetim^ before I saw any
called Methodists^n that tim' God did bh ss my la
I) ur^j, for it was .carried on wiihoutthe custor^iary Icrm
^a /^er^i^Oiii-s i--X J^imlm pra} e.d nor sung in the ccr

( ^^^ )

l^regation, after the manner used amongst you ; yet 1
walked according to the direction of the spirit that led me
outX)f the darkness to this light, and to the direction o
the Apostle Paul, given by him in his epistle to Timo-
thy ; saying, '•' I exhort therefore, that first of all, sup-
plications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks
be made for all men." Now my friend, thou mayest see
that,. I was called all alone ; for I obeyed until the Me-
thodists came to Lenoir Williams', then I heard them
bear the same testimony against sin, as was given to me
before to bear. At this time there was a messenger sent
to me, who believed that the Lord sent them to forewarn
me not to join the Methodists ; but the messenger proved
unfaithful, and did not deliver me the mesrsage ; where-
for he was greatly chastised for his disobedience, (as I
was afterwards informed.) I joined the society of the
Methodists not by aiiy command, but the Lord suffered
It to be so.— ^I learned something whilst I was amongst
them, but by turning to the spirit who at first did q,uickcn
me, I saw by the light thereof that I must leave those thhig^.
ofFthatl had learned of them (the Methodists) or I should
perish, and not see the kingdom of God. Those things
are as followeth ; first, that which is called by thy so-
ciety, " worshipping God by prayer and singing."

Stop my beloved friend ! do not let any antichrist spi
l-it deceive thee, or any of thy society <, so as to make any
of you misapprehend, or wrongly understand me, in what
I mean by prayer and singing, so far as to think and re-
proachfully say that I deny praying and singing to the
Father, ^in the name of his beloved son Jesus Christ ; for
I solemny declare in the presence of God almighty, whose
.servant I now am, (and was before I ever saw any per-
son called a Methodist^ that I knew of) that 1 both con-
fess and acknowledge, that there is one way, (and but one
%vay) to pray and sing to the Father, that is certainly ac=
ceptable to him ; which way is in the spirit and under-
\ Standing ; (as Paul wrote of) this is the way that I con-
fess and follow at this time, (so I did before I ever kn'^w
any Methodists, or any called by that name.) I kno^
that this is the true and only way'acceptable to the Father;
—•this I learned of Christ, and have walked in it evej^
:nc€. All who pray and sing aright m^ist walk in tlu^^

( ^43 )

Vfav, whxh is only learned of - ybv Christ Jesus him«
self. No man,- woman or child, can possibly, by any
iTieansoF their o\vtf, bring any one in this way, but any
can bv the spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ, whom the
Father chose for this pursose before theworld was known
by mankind.

?*Tay it pleabc my heavenly father, who of his own
wisdom, love and merry, hath begotten me again unto a
lively hope, by the resurrection of his son Jesus Christ
from the dead ; in my heart I say, that it may please
him to bring thee and all others, (who have not sinned
out the day of their grace) into this way, which is surely
a.cc€pt:\ble. But this is a narrow way, and only few do
find it ; yet there is a v/ay whirh seems right to many,
and is called the worship of God by prayer and singing —
tills way is lear'^ed !3y men and of spirits, who are neither
of, nor sent by Christ, but have come of themselves to
deceive. Cbrist fore? pake that there should be deceivers,
false prophets and false Christs, who should come in his
name and deceive many ; nay, the very elect if it were
possible. — These have the form of prayer, singing and ot
godliness ; but they deny the power,, because they are not
pure but defiled, as the apostle says in Titus, " profess-
ing that they know Ood, but in work deny him." By
this sort of worshippers many a precious lamb is entang-
led and wounded — others utterly slam, by continuing
with them — being beguiled by their outward appearances-
of Godliness, sat up by them in their own order, where-
by they uss many words, and make long prayers, in and
at the time they meet together in their sinagogues, or in
other places ; which, indeed, has a beautiful show of
Godliness, to him (or them) whose eyes are beguiled,
and are in a measure ensnared by their seemed devotion,
prayers and ordinary songs, v/hich they sing & use just as
they please, and when they please. Sometimes it pleases
God to strip them-of their vices and common used words ;
— they then call it taking up the cross, and so force^
themselves to bring an offering of words. This clearly
appears to me be like the offering of Saul, who forced
himself and offered an offering that caused Samuel to re-
prove him for his foolishness, for he was at that time he-
guiled and knew not how to remain still or silent, norv:

( 149 )

T/ait for the messenger of God, altho' he (before thisr)
had received the anointment of the Lord.

I said Saul was beguiled— -so is the case with many pre-
cious souls, after they have bcen^ anointed with the quick-
ening spirit ; for when they are brouoht to any strait, they
then force themselves as Saul did, and bring an offerinp-
of words, which shows their foolishness — -they cannot
content thems v s, nor wait with patience for the comin<^
of the prophet or true messenger of the Lord, to instruct
them how to bring forth an acceptai)le offering to the
living God. This messenger is the, one, who at first
anointed us with the holy anointment ; even v/ith the
Holy Ghost, who is sent to the righteous to instruct them
how to bring forth their offerings in an acceptable mr.n-
ner. Saul had the promise of Samuel's com in jv to him
so those who are anointed with or by the Holy Ghost
have the promise of his coming ; and when he ccmeth to
them who truly wait tor him, they are then made able to
bring forth an acceptable offering, which" is their Yeason-
able services ; (that is to say) pray, sing or speak lo the
people by way of preaching. Without this messenger,
no one can do any thing acceptable to God, as Christ
hath said '* without me ye can do nothino-." All that a
man doeth, without this messenger beino- the author of
it, he doeth by the deceiving spirit uhich makes him
think that he has done his duty, when he sung, prayed
or spoke amongst the people, when met together in any
place or sinagggue, -

i have now written' to thee, my friend, what has been
given to me by t; e living messenger, to write unto my
friends, that ye might all see the difference between pray-
ing and singing right or wrong ; lor I learned the wrong
sort of praying and singing amongstyou, and caused me Vo
act contrary to what is recorded m St. BTatthew, 6th chap-
ter, 5 — 6 — 't and 8th verses ; which things I had to leave
off or perish, anv^ not see the kingdom of God, ■

Try your worship, my beloved liiends, by ccm.mg to
the touch-stone which is disallowed by mi^ny builders
yet it shall become the head stone of the corner whereon
the true church is built, that the gates of hell cannot pf-e-
Taii against ; yet this stone is sat for the fail and rise of

N 2

( 150 )

many, and for a sign which shall be spoken against as 2
stumbling stone, and a rock of offence, to such that do not
believe in him, but stumble on the stumbling stone laid
on Zian for a foundation, on which the living church is
built.

My beloved friends, if you will only be wise, an,d try
your v/orsaip by this touch stone, your eyes will then be
opened, and you will sec that there is another spirit, who
is not of oar Lord Jesus Christ, "has the pre-eminence a-
mongst you — that it leads many precious souls captive
• — makes them make longer or shorter prayers and sing-
ing, at almost all of your public or private meetings ; but
my btlcved Iriends, I dp not write this to upbraid or de-
grade you, but as to my beloved, who I greatl}^ long fcr,
in the bowels of that spirit that at first did quicken me,
and brought me out of Satan's kingdom into his heavenly
Itingdo n, where all is light and no darkness at all. I say,
in these bowels I greatly long that you might all be bro't
home to the true foundation, and forever be made able to
stand thereon.

Dearl)^ beloved and longed for, you now may see that I
cId not write this to upbraid or degrade you, but I write
5t because it was given me by the living messenger, to re*
inind and forwarn yoU ^11 of that spirit which has crept,
beguiled & defiie.l soma ly of }ou, which you were igno-
rant and n n awiire of, I'his enemy has c.rept in at un-
aw-ares, and has done a great deal of damage amongst you,
hy making or contriving the greatest part of your worship,
which is carried on by the wisdom of men, and makes the
worshippers thereof pray, sing, speak to the people or a-
amongstthe people, just when they please, and as often
as they please ; \vhether it be to pray or sing. This is he
Vi'bo doth come in sheep's clothmg, anti who is inw^ardly
a ravenous wolf — this is he who doth^md will destroy
your folds— ^this is he who catcheih and carrieth av/ay
the young and tender lambs, u ho have got but late desires
to the sincere niilk of the word of God-^^his is he who
s€?t those tender ones to work on the false foundation, be-
fore they are able to discern between the true or the false
foundation— this is be who is the only destroyer of the
T.bilrch, (\nd thou did reckon that I was him ; but I am
" 'j% of hirrj, s*6hber have I any fellowship with him '^ but

( 151 )

l*fdr\ram you all of him, thatf you may take care and be

aware, lest he should destroy your precious souls.) this

is he whom the Lord has thrown, (even what I learned in
and oi thy society ; that is, prayjng and singing at the be-
ginning and end of almost every ineeting,)— this is he
who made me examine tie class in the private meetings,
whereby many that were wounded, instead o*' being lualed
were wounded worse by telling them lies — this is he who
made me say " pray Brother," ( md he would utter some
woids which were called p.ayerj forcing him to this offer-
ing, in which the Lord had no pleasure — this is he who
made me collect mone}^ from the weak to give to the
strong, who were able to work with their own hands. — .
Ttie.se are che tnings I learned of the Methodists, but
the Lord has thrown them down from me^ and will throw
them down from many more hereafter.

My dei^r friend, I ncieby declare that T do not aim
(or desire) to raise up a name unto myself, or a new sect
of people, as thoa seems to think by thy letter; but I de-
sire th I the na ne of Christ may, be raised up amongst
you and ali others, and be glorili-.-d forever.

Now iiv dear friend, as tho-.i hast bidden me farewell,
I do, and shall always wish thee may do well, both in this
world and ht-realtt'r; and as thou are determined not to
follow me, sq 1 am determined, by the help of Christ, ne-
ver to leave inward discipline to join the outward, until
it be purged from .he tilth of the flesh, and become one
with the mward, and be perfectly jomed in one by Jesus
Christ, rhis is from thy fri^^nd,

PETKH CLE?JMONS,Senr.

30th day of the 3d month, 1782.

To my friend Halfteld, and to all my other beloved
friends, called by the name of Methodists*

CHAPTER XXIIL

CONCLUSION.

LET no man tl~'ink harshly or Icok with a despising eye
on tiie Methodists, on account of the foregoing answer to
' le ktter ssnt to me by one of their member f for i be.-

( n2 )

lieve that there are some well meaning people amoBf^s!
them — but iei ah v\ ho mi.y reiid or hear it, seriously en-
quire, vihtihcr 'heir pra) trs and praises, spring from the
right lOuntuin *r from the wrong — m hether ii is by the
will and wisdcrtu oi' men, or the movings of grace ; for it
is noi bv the will nor wisdom of men, (hat any are saved, .^
but it is bv the virtuous movements oi grace alone ; not "f
onl} o.^ this or that society ^— but all who do the will of
God here on earth, and answer the end ior which they
were created.

Thus I end, and it mav be for ever;

PETER CLEIMMONS, Senr.
2Sth of 9th month, 1811.

N. B. Having withdraAvn myself, fas befm*e meii-
tioned) from the Methodist society, they concluded thut
I should notspeak in theirnewmeeting-house j (which did ^
not know) but returning from meeting; -1 called at said
new meeting house, where the society were gathered i
together to hold prayer-meeting- — I went into the house j
as a hearer — as I was sitting down instill behaviour, and *
hnving not opened my mouth, in any way of exhorta^
tion ; one of the ruling members got up, and acquuihting
me of their conclusion, told me publicly, that I was ncft
to be suffered to speak in their meeting-house ; and that
it was for no other reason, but because I had withdravi-fi
in^'self from them* This eccasicned me to compose xh^ ■
following verses :

1 One thing' I very well do know",'
That I was blind, Init now I see j
Therefore I am disallowed.
By the head a-f their assembly.

7>^Bm to the Lord may I thus go^

And nothing else besides him know r
And in his love may 1 thus be,
3n this life and eternity^

3 O ! .mav it be my happy lot.

To tell the wonders he hath wrought |
After bein^ thus cast away,
The Lord will be my whole joy.

4 And to the Lord, the God on high,
O ! may all of our praises fly ;
When our bodies in dust do lye,

O ! may our souls to heaven fly.

5 O ! may this be our happy lot,

JWe that Christ has so dearly bought j
Then unto him O ! let us go,
And leave this sinful world below.

6 O ! Lord of hosts help us along.
And give us grace to sing this song ;
And when we4eave this world below^
O ! may we to thy kingdom go.

3o I end in love and peace^ Amen.

POOR PETER CLEMMONS, Semv

FIN IS.

INDEX.

Page

:io

CHAPTER r.

Our spiritual travel to a Christian life,

CHAPTER IL

OfWftr, - - - -

CHAPTER HI.

lie injustice of Slavery, - - - 43

CHAPTER IV.

The danger of bad Counsel, - . - iT"

CHAPTER V.
The safety of good Counsel, - - - SI

CHAPTER VI.

Advice to my sons, concerningtheir duty in a ra^^rried life, 86

CHAPTER VII.

Advice to ray daughters, concerning their duty in a married
life, - - - -91

CHAPTER VIII.

Advice to all my children, concerning their duty to their
children, - • • '« 93

Chapter ix*

On the forc'crdination of God, by a sr.ppo3ed secret
council, . „ , 105

CHAPTER X. ^

#£ the difference between reality, and the likeness and
form. « . « 117

1

CHAPTER XL' '

Of the truly Baptized, - ' - \2i

CHAPTER XIL

Some marks given cf these that use the form, instead of the
substance ol baptism, - - 125

CHAPTER XIII.

Of a separation between the rii^hteous and the wicked ; Cod*s
blessing on the righteous, - - 127

CHAPTER XIV.

All married men ought to keep a right authority , and love
God more than their wives, - - — '^ ,12c

CHAPTER XV.

Second charge to my daughters, to discharge their duties in
love to God and their husbands, - - 1:9

CHAPTER XVI.

Of the necessity to walk in the love and fear of God — of the
three friends and the three noisy things on earth,' 13'

CHAPTER XVIL

Do not forget the commandments of the Lord,^ 1 S2

CHAPTER XVIII.

The dangerof stopping short of entering the ho'y land, ar.d
of receiving the image of God again, - 1 -

CHAP1 ER XiX.

Encourage: #^nt to Sinners to ccrae to Chi4st and be sa'\'€d, 141^

CHAPTER XX.
Dream o.r Vision, . . -

CHAPTER XXI.
Second Dream or. Vision,

CHAPTER XXll.

■ A Letter giving my reasons \vhy I left the Methodist sf
ciety, - - - ^-

CKAPTER XXIIL

Conclusion, - * - -

THE LIBRARY OF THE

UNIVERSITY OF

NORTH CAROLINA

THE COLLECTION OF
NORTH CAROLINIANA

PRESENTED BY

Elizabeth Sale

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